


Home Alone 3: Harry's Revenge

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Home Alone (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-07
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-02-24 12:17:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2581202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The future for the McCallister family is bright on a day before winter break, even though Kevin is in bed with chicken pox leaving his older sister, her fiance, and their friends to look after him. However, while Kevin is sick from school, a certain bandit is back for revenge against the Chicago family and he comes with help from New York after he loses his partner to a girl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WOW that was more words than I thought it'd be. Anywho, here I am again with another Home Alone story featuring AnnaleaseTurner's OC, Chelsea McCallister, with my OC, Max Hughes. This is basically Home Alone 3, but we did it our way, so that kid Alex isn't in this story, but its still focused on Kevin and the others. There are some elements with the first two movies that are factored into this. I hope you like this one as much fun as I had doing this RP with my good friend. We only own our OCs, everyone else belongs to John Hughes. Read & Review.

A single snowflake fell gracefully past a window. In that window a young woman with long blonde hair and warm eyes sat watching the weather. She heard her mother shouting her, and so she went down. She was wearing a pair of leggings and a white jumper dress.

Kate McCallister stood at the bottom of the stairs calling for her eldest child. She knew that Marv would be coming soon. Though she hadn't liked the man much to begin with she soon found that he was a funny man, and actually rather friendly.

The youngest member of the family, of course, Kevin looked out the window. He was playing with an old remote control car he got for Christmas a couple of years ago and played around with it to harass the neighbors. It was his little kid motivation, but he wouldn't hurt anybody on purpose.

As the young woman passed her brother's room, she popped her head and smiled. "Saw the first snowflake, Kev?" she asked him.

Kevin turned back and smiled at her. "Yeah, I love snow... It's how I know Christmas is coming soon, I wish I didn't have to school though... It feels like school this year is dragging on forever..."

"Well, just think it'll be over soon and you'll have a full while to have break," the girl told him. She then had to go downstairs as her mother shouted for her again.

"Yeah..." Kevin nodded with a smile. He then coughed a little, then went back to focus on something instead of his homework. "Excuse me."

Chelsea looked worried. "Kev, come down if that cough gets any worse." she told him.

Kate chuckled slightly. She had the ring that her grandmother had, for Marv to propose when he wanted. She had seen how they were in love.

"Wow, that is so precious..." Peter looked at the ring, passing by.

Kate nodded to her husband with a smile and then shouted for the girl again. "Chelsea!"

Chelsea heard her mother calling for her and slid down the banister and landed securely on her feet on the floor.

Kate rolled her eyes, putting the ring hidden until Marv got there.

Suddenly, a neighbor woman screamed.

Both Kate and Chelsea looked at the door as the neighbor screamed.

Meanwhile, there was a car riding up to the house to come visit as well. In the car, a man looked at the person in the car with him. He gave her a smile. "So, this is your old stomping ground, Max?"

Max looked back at him with a smile. "Yeah, I grew up here with Chelsea, Lex," she explained. "We've been friends for what feels like forever."

"This is a nice place." Lex grinned.

"I feel like I haven't been to this house and neighborhood in years..." Max whispered, astounded. She then twinged as she heard the neighbor screaming. "Oh, my..." she murmured.

Lex looked at her. "Stop the car," he told her. "I'll go ahead and check it out." He said this before doing so once they stopped.

The woman screamed and stormed over to the McCallister house, obviously not happy.

"Oh, boy..." Kevin mumbled, ducking down.

Max stopped the car and flattened her hair down a little, allowing Lex to get out. "Be careful."

Chelsea looked strangely at her mom and then opened the door and looked out of the door. Kate followed her daughter, pocketing the ring, and looked over her head. Peter followed and saw the elderly neighbor woman in distress.

Lex got out and went up to the neighbor. "Ma'am, what happened? Please calm down." he tried his hand at calming her down before anyone else would show up.

"I was just minding my own business and this car tried to attack me!" the woman told him, taking up Kevin's old toy car. "You'd think a woman couldn't have privacy in her own home, but that's what happens when you have delinquents for neighbors!"

Max looked out the window. "Mrs. Hess? I thought she was dead!"

Chelsea hid a smile and a laugh. She recognised the toy. Kate sighed and shook her head. She was despairing.

Lex gave the woman a soft, charming smile. "Ma'am, I'll see if the car belongs to anyone, and I'll have words with the owner if I find them."

"Well, aren't you a nice little ting?" Mrs. Hess smirked. "Why can't more children just grow up already? Now excuse me, young man, I need to unpack, I just got back from a long trip away from my beautiful home."

Max opened the door and came to look with Lex.

"Is that Maxine?" Peter pointed.

Chelsea giggled. "It's Max, Dad... She doesn't like her full name." She then saw Mrs. Hess go back home and went down to meet Max and Lex, in just her socks on her feet.

Kate reached out to stop her, but just sighed figuring out Chelsea would disregard her anyway.

"Oh, okay." Peter smiled friendly.

"Have a nice day, ma'am," Lex told the old woman, and then smiled at Max. "Better." he held the car in his hand and walked to the McCallister household with his arm around Max.

Mrs. Hess mumbled under her breath, getting inside to unpack her bags.

Max smiled and went to the McCallister house, home of her two best friends, next to Lex, in the world.

Chelsea met them at the bottom of the steps and threw her arms open for her best friend and her (Max's) boyfriend who was also her friend.

Kevin watched from the staircase. "Ooh, Max!" he smiled brightly.

Kate looked at Kevin and raised a questioning eyebrow. "You finished your homework?"

"Yes." Kevin nodded, trying to sound polite when he answered that and not like a smart aleck like last time.

"Okay, sweetheart." Kate nodded.

Lex grinned and let Max go for Chelsea to hug her. He was shocked as he was drawn into the hug too.

Max smiled at Chelsea and patted her back. "I think this is the first time I get to see you and I don't have a random job..." she remarked, the last couple of times they met, she worked at the convienant store and at the hotel.

Chelsea let them go after a nice hug. "It's nice to see you again." she said, letting her friends go inside ahead of her.

Max smiled and stepped in.

Peter wasn't really paying attention, but went to the other room.

Kate then noticed the car in Lex's hand and sighed. "You drove it into Mrs. Hess's?" she asked her youngest child.

Peter came back in, not liking what he heard about that. "Kevin, you have to go and apologize to Mrs. Hess."

"No way, she's mean and an old grouch!" Kevin whined.

"I thought she was dead..." Max said, distantly, looking around to see if anyone would pay attention to her.

Chelsea giggled as she draped herself over the girl like a jacket over the shoulders. "Silly, Max..."

Lex hid a smile. He chuckled at the pair of friends.

Max giggled a little bit then made herself comfortable. "Where's Marv?"

"I don't know," Chelsea smiled with a soft laugh, still draped over her best friend. "But he's coming over tonight."

Kate looked at Kevin firmly. "If you don't, you're grounded." She had actually softened a little bit over the adventures.

Chelsea smiled softer at Kevin. "Don't worry, Kev, I'm sure Mrs. Hess will be good enough to accept it." she soothed, noticing he looked a little peaky.

Kevin couldn't believe that threat and hung his head. "Okay... Should I go now then?"

Kate nodded in reply to Kevin. "Go and get it over with," she told him, then looked at the older girls. "Chelsea, you go and make sure he does it, please." she wanted to tell Lex and Max what would probably happen tonight.

"Mrs. Hess once refused to buy cookies from me when I was eight..." Max pouted, but smiled once Lex's laughter filled her mind. "It's best you don't go alone, kiddo."

Kevin smiled at her and his sister. He then left with Chelsea, hoping that Mrs. Hess would have mercy on their souls.

Chelsea smiled and followed her brother to see Mrs. Hess, after putting some ankle boots on. She rested her arm over his shoulders.

Lex looked at Kate. "How you doing, Mrs. McCallister?"

"I'm okay," Kate smiled. "I sent Chelsea with Kevin, as there is going to be a surprise for Chelsea when Marv comes along later."

"A surprise?" Max's eyes lit up.

Lex looked intrigued too.

Kate nodded, smiling and showed the ring. "I'm going to give this to Marv to propose to Chelsea." she said, quietly, but happily.

Peter looked out the window, making sure Kevin and Chelsea were indeed going to Mrs. Hess's place.

Max took a closer look at the ring and smiled. "That's lovely... Where on Earth did you get it?"

"It was my grandmother's." Kate looked at the ring. She wondered if Marv would like it enough to give to Chelsea.

"It's so beautiful... My mother had a ring just like that...It was one of the few expensive things we had." Max smiled sadly.

Lex put an arm around Max, soothingly.

Kate nodded and patted the girl's shoulder. "Do you think Marv will like it enough?" she asked, softly. She had always liked the girl, and took it upon herself to look after the girl when she could.

"I'm sure he'll love it, even once he gives it to Chelsea." Max smiled warmly.

"He should, Mrs. McCallister." Lex nodded.

Kate smiled at both of them and looked at the clock. "Would you two like to stay for a while as you're here anyway?"

Max looked at the clock and at Lex. "We should be fine here." she smiled, gently.

Lex nodded, agreeing.

"Kiddo, you okay?" Chelsea asked Kevin softly on the way to Mrs. Hess's.

"Mrs. Hess is so mean, I'm worried she's gonna yell at me and pull my ear." Kevin sighed as they came next door.

Chelsea grinned slightly, though it was soft. "I'll yell at her back and pull her ear if she does." she informed him.

Kevin chuckled a little, feeling a little bit better.

Chelsea smiled and laughed too as Kevin chuckled.

Kevin bit his lip and rang the doorbell to Mrs. Hess's door. He stepped back a little, waiting for an answer.

Suddenly the door snapped open and Mrs. Hess glared at Kevin. "YOU!"

Chelsea looked at Mrs Hess, and placed her hands soothingly and calmly on Kevin's shoulders. "Kevin has come to say something, Mrs. Hess."

"Well, spit it out!" Mrs. Hess demanded.

Kevin gulped and nodded. "I-I'm sorry... About letting my toy car get loose... I promise it won't happen agian.. Is there anything I could maybe do for you?"

Mrs. Hess paused for a moment, then looked at her snowy driveway. her husband usually did it when it would be winter season, but seeing as her husband doesn't live here anymore... "You can shovel my driveway after school, then we'll be even."

Kevin really didn't want to do it, but he agreed to avoid getting into more trouble.

Chelsea smiled a little at Mrs. Hess. She squeezed Kevin's shoulder gently. "Come on then, Kev, let's get you home and leave Mrs. Hess to have a nice cup of tea."

"Thank you, I'll see you tomorrow, boy." Mrs. Hess said, a little gently since Chelsea smiled at her and she shut the door to get to her private self at home.

Kevin coughed a little, then kept walking. "Well... that wasn't so bad, I thought she was gonna take me to jail or something."

Chelsea frowned a little and felt Kevin's forehead. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Probably allergies." Kevin said, softly. "I always wore my jacket and scarf sometimes when I'd be out like you and Mom said."

Chelsea felt a little warm. "Well, if you don't feel better tomorrow, then you can stay home."

"I wouldn't mind that too much," Kevin smirked. "An early Christmas vacation. Hopefully this year will be better than being home alone or lost in New York."

Chelsea giggled and wrapped her arms around him again. "I'm sure it won't be..." she said, meaning as bad as years before.

Kevin smiled at her, then kept walking.

"Well then, Marv should be coming soon, I best order pizza..." Kate said to Max and Lex with a small laugh. The other McCallister kids were out with friends, so it would only be Marv, Chelsea, herself, Peter, Max, and Lex for dinner tonight.

"Don't tell me," Max pulled a face, knowing her friends well. "Plain cheese pizza just for them."

"Yes..." Kate said with a smile. "What pizza do you two want?" she asked them, deciding it would be good still.

"Bacon." Max said, leaning back.

"Bacon and cheese pizza... Why don't they just sell pizza with candy for kids next?" Peter rolled his eyes a little, setting the table for everyone.

"Yeah, I could swing bacon." Lex nodded and shrugged.

Kate smiled, amused at her husband and rolled her eyes a little. "I'll phone Marv to see if he's on his way, and then I'll order the pizzas." she said, going to do just that and put the ring safely in her pocket again.

"Bacon's good for you, Mr. Mac." Max remarked with a sarcastic smirk.

"Great cure for a hangover." Lex said in a falsely old wise man's tone.

"Kids." Peter shook his head with a laugh.

Max smirked and laughed lightly.

Lex smiled, as he made Max laugh. To him her laughter was like a cool breeze on a warm day or a delicate peal of a small bell.

Max smiled and looked around the house.

Lex smiled still and looked at Peter. "So, most likely a big night for Chels, right, Mr. McCallister?"

"Yeah, mostly," Peter smiled. "The others have gone out, so it'll be good to have me, Kate, Kevin and Chelsea. You guys of course as well. But, we planned this night for mostly Chelsea and Marv."

"Thanks for inviting us." Lex nodded again.

"Yes, thank you." Max added, smiling.

Kate rang the number she had of Marv. She drummed her fingers as she waited for the answering of the phone.

"Hello...?" a little tired voice of Marv answered the phone.

Kate frowned slightly, but it didn't show in her voice. "Hi, Marv, it's Kate McCallister," her voice was softer than it would be normally. "Are you coming over still?"

Marv yawned a little bit. "Yeah, I'm coming, I've been riding the bus all day, its been a big day, Katie..."

Kate rolled her eyes slightly at his name for her. "Well you can relax when you get here, I'll set up the sofa for you tonight, if it's too long to get home," she then remembered something she should ask due to the night they're all going to have. "Do you like pizza?"

"No problem," Marv smiled, then he sounded happy and hungry. "Ooh, pizza! I've loved pizza for since I was a kid... That was such a long time ago..."

Kate had a soft chuckle in her voice as she asked him the last question, before she would hang up, after saying goodbye of course, and ring the pizza company. "What kind of pizza do you like?"

"Surprise me, i'm not picky, unless it has anchovies... I don't like them, I don't like pepperoni either, also there's sausage and mushrooms..." Marv replied, being ironic and nearly listed every single pizza topping ever used that he didn't like to eat despite saying he wasn't picky.

Kate chuckled, he had the same taste as Kevin and Chelsea it seemed. She would get a large cheese pizza for the three to share then. "Okay, Marv, see you soon." she said, before she did go and call the pizza place.

"Talk to you later, I should be there real soon." Marv assured her.

Kate smiled and hung up, saying her last goodbye on the phone before ordering the pizza's for everyone. A large cheese pizza for Kevin, Marv and Chelsea, a medium bacon pizza for Lex and Max, and a medium of her and Peter's favourite pizza for herself and Peter.

Peter came in. "You got the pizza?" he asked his wife.

Kate hung up as Peter came in. "Yeah, it'll be here soon... Marv will be here soon... Let's hope this evening goes off without a hitch..."

"Alright, table's all ready for everyone." Peter told her with a gentle smile.

Kate nodded, a slightly stressed worried look on her face but, she then smiled.

Soon, Kevin and Chelsea were back home. Chelsea asked Kevin if he would give her a male's opinion of an outfit, as she wanted to look nicer for Marv coming. Kevin decided to go along with it. Not like he had anything better to do. He wasn't one for fashion, but he would give a better opinion or comment than their brother, Buzz, but thankfully he wasn't home.

Chelsea smiled and took him to her room. She then picked out two outfits. One was a grey cardigan with a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, the other was a sweater dress like the one she had on only this one was a soft but deep purple and it had slightly darker leggings to match.

"Probably the purple," Kevin shrugged. "This is a rather nice night, Chels."

Chelsea looked between them and nodded. She hugged Kevin softly, but securely. "Thanks for the advice, Kev." she told him, then let him go so she could change once he went.

Kevin smiled a bit, then suddenly he felt an itch on his back and started to scratch it a little.

Chelsea looked at him. "Kiddo, use a door-frame, they make better scratching posts." she told him, teasing, though strangely it did work. She then nipped behind her divider to change. She had bought it at an antique's fair.

Kevin laughed a little. "It can't be bug bites..." he shrugged, then quickly went to scratch his back against the door frame. "I still can't believe you and Marv are together after all we been through together."

Chelsea popped her head over the top. "Well, stranger, more wonderful things have happened." she said, before finishing changing and coming out.

"I suppose so." Kevin shrugged and smiled at her new outfit. "I'm sure he'll love that."

Chelsea smiled and hugged him. "You have good taste, Kev." she told him before letting him go and heading downstairs with him.

Kevin went down with her.

Chelsea walked down the stairs normally this time. She put her hair up as she walked with Kevin. She looked slightly worried as Kevin coughed but decided to make sure to keep an eye on him.

Kevin cleared his throat. "Hope I'm not getting sick... Though if I am, I can start Christmas vacation before anyone else." he smirked at his older sister.

Chelsea smiled at him, a little amused too. "Good idea, kiddo, I'd be worried if you got sick, though."

Max smiled as she saw an old framed picture of herself and Chelsea graduating from middle school. It was one of the last few times they saw each other before her parents were getting terribly bad with money and couldn't afford to publicly educate her anymore.

Lex followed her gaze and looked at the picture.

Max looked back at him, sheepishly as he saw her hair in a curly ponytail and braces on her teeth.

Lex turned his gaze to look at her with a grin. "You look cute, Max."

Max's face turned even redder. "I suppose..."

"I mean it, Max." Lex said with a smile.

Max smiled back and put the picture back in its place. She then smiled at him as he smiled at her and lightly squeezed his hand. He squeezed her hand back with a gentle smile.

Peter saw everyone come in. "Pizza will be here shortly."

"And before you ask, we ordered you two and Marv a large cheese pizza." Kate told her kids as they came in.

Kevin smiled back at him, then looked back. "Wow!" he was astounded at Marv's decisions.

Chelsea smiled sweetly at her mother. She was glad that she and her dad liked Marv.

Kate smiled to her kids, and then went to get her purse ready for when the pizzas came.

Kevin sniffled a little and blew his nose.

"Oh, is the little dude catching a cold?" Max asked in concern like an overly worried mother.

Chelsea frowned, worriedly. "Kevin, if you don't feel well, you can go to bed if you want. I'll bring you up some cheese pizza."

Lex cast a look over Kevin, also a little worried.

Kate came back, purse in hand. She looked at the three worried faces.

"I-I'm fine, really." Kevin tried to assure them with a smile.

"My uncle had a cough like that once." Max bit her lip, looking away anxiously.

Chelsea hugged Kevin, slightly. She then looked at Max.

Lex looked at her.

"Sorry..." Max smiled sheepishly.

Peter came in. "What's up, kids?"

Kate looked between them all and then came up to Chelsea and Kevin and placed her hand on Kevin's forehead.

"Mom, I'm fine, really." Kevin tried to assure everyone he was fine and wasn't that sick.

Chelsea let him go gently. She was being an overprotective sister but it was only because she cared.

Kate looked at him, critically. "A little warm, but you can stay down a while, maybe a little earlier bedtime." she hummed slightly, before looking at the clock.

Kevin sighed, but decided to go along with it. "It's probably from being chased by the neighbor's dog when I missed the bus the other day."

"I'm sure it's just a little early cold, we'll know overnight, I used to get sick all the time when I was younger, sometimes I'd miss weeks, even months off from school." Max tried to sympathesize.

Chelsea sent Kevin a slightly apologetic look, she hadn't wanted to make him get upset or anything.

There was a horn honking outside. Kate went to see who was honking a horn.

Lex looked at Kevin, dropping his voice just so he, Max, Chelsea, Kevin and himself could hear. "Been itching at all?"

"A little actually, now that you mention it." Kevin scratched his head, then started scratching more than one would to their head to think.

"Has he had chicken pox yet?" Max whispered to Chelsea.

Chelsea looked at Max and shook her head. She then looked at Kevin, with a gentle but critical gaze.

"Don't scratch it, Kev, it sounds like you have chicken pox." Lex chuckled quietly to the boy.

"Chicken pox?" Kevin asked himself, trying to resist the urge. "I don't think I've had it before..."

"It could be that, it's good that you're a kid when you have it," Max smiled. "It's a pain in the butt, but it'll be over soon."

"Will you get sick too?" Kevin asked, nervous for everyone else.

"Oh, no, we already had chicken pox before, we can't get it again, I had it when I was a baby in day care." Max explained.

Chelsea nodded soothingly to Kevin.

"We won't get sick, Kev." Lex ruffled the boy's hair.

Kevin felt a little better, but hoped this wouldn't make him miserable enough than having those other siblings than Chelsea around the house.

"Thanks for the ride!" a voice called and left the car he rode, paying the driver and going to the front door.

Kate smiled and then opened the door, seeing as the voice was familiar.

Marv came in. "Hello, I'm home!"

Chelsea gasped as she heard Marv's voice, and nervously straightened her dress.

"There's your man." Max whispered, teasing Chelsea.

Lex looked at Max and chuckled, slightly.

Chelsea blushed crimson. "Max..." she whispered/whined. She was nervous enough to see him again.

Max giggled behind her hand. "Sorry..." she smiled apologetically.

Kevin laughed a little, but he sounded a bit sick.

"Go sit down, kiddo," Chelsea looked down at Kevin, hugging him gently.

Kevin nodded, then went to sit at the table. "hey, Dad."

"Hey, son." Peter greeted, checking his various business messages from work.

Kate let Marv in, knowing he was probably looking solely for Chelsea. "She's in the kitchen... But first..." she secretly showed him the gem.

Marv's eyes widened at the ring. "Wow... what a gem!" he whispered in shock.

Kate nodded. "It was my grandmother's, I want you to use it to propose to Chelsea..." she whispered back. After all, Marv had asked her and Peter's permission first to have even let them know.

"Oh, if you don't mind... It's so precious." Marv looked closely to it, worried about its value in his hands.

"I don't mind," Kate smiled at him. She handed it to him gently and then went to answer the door for the pizza guy. "I'd love for you to do it."

Marv gently took it and hid it in his pocket for safe-keeping.

Max smiled once she saw Marv, even if the first time she met him she was running for dear life because they all thought he was dangerous at first.

Chelsea smiled at Kevin gently. She then looked at Marv and smiled brightly. She also blushed a little. "Hi..."

Lex nodded to the man with a little smile.

"Hey," Marv smiled once he saw Chelsea. "You look really special tonight, that's quite an ensemble, mademoiselle..."

Chelsea smiled and then went to him and hugged him. "It's great to see you again!" she was half gushing and half breathing.

Marv hugged her back, patting her back. "It feels good to do good!"

Chelsea looked up at him and smiled sweetly. She loved the guy, the feelings started from where he kissed her the first time.

Kate paid the pizza guy and then took the pizza's into the dining room.

"Pizza!" Kevin cheered like a little kid.

Kate smiled at him. "Pizza!"

"Let's go get some pizza." Max told Lex, then went to sit with the others.

Lex followed Max into the kitchen.

"Come and get it!" Peter called.

Kate smiled at them, as she set the pizzas by the respective place settings.

Marv patted his pocket and went to the dining room. "Hey, kiddo." he ruffled up Kevin's hair.

Kevin laughed a little and smiled.

Chelsea followed him in and sat next to Kevin, a seat left for Marv next to her.

Lex sat the space next to Marv's space, getting Max to sit next to him, where their pizza was.

"Okay, everyone," Kate sat down next to Peter. "Everyone sit down and eat." her voice sounded rather happy.

Everyone agreed and sat down to eat.

Chelsea held Marv's hand under the table, doing a rather bold move.

Kate informed Marv what pizza it was and then started to eat with Peter.

"Awesome, I'm not picky, but thanks." Marv smiled, ready to eat.

"Cheese pizza just for us." Kevin remarked to his sister and future brother-in-law.

Max smiled at them. "Alright, let's dig in."

Chelsea smiled at Kevin and Marv, and then everyone else. She didn't know that Marv planned on proposing.

Kate nodded.

Lex ate a slice of the pizza.

Max took a slice and sniffed it. "Cheesy and bacony..." she moaned, then went to eat.

Kevin had three slices and started eating the first one.

Chelsea had a couple of slices.

Lex smiled.

Kate chuckled softly.

"Here's to a nice winter season so far." Max told everyone, eating.

Peter smiled at the wonderfulness around the family home without arguing or trouble from Kevin or Chelsea.

Marv smiled and decided to wait a little before proposing. Chelsea blushed at the time she and Marv brushed arms, when they did. Marv smiled brightly at her. Chelsea smiled back sweetly. Max's eyes widened suddenly at the warmth and looked down to see Lex grabbed her hand and she smiled. Kevin smiled at everyone and ate the food with pleasure.


	2. Chapter 2

Meanwhile in New York, a familiar hotel concierge was getting his just desserts. "I'm FIRED!?"

The actual manager of the hotel nodded. "Yes, you and your receptionist have had too many complaints made against you." he crossed his arms.

The receptionist looked affronted.

Also in the City of New York a man with a hat with ear flaps walked through the streets, a scarf around his mouth to hide most of his face. He jumped at every little pigeon that flew as people made them fly away.

"You can't be serious, I run a tight shift with people around here, and I love children!" Hector tried to consider, he then randomly grabbed a little girl, trying to hug her, but made her cry. "Oh, see? I just love children!" he smiled, nervously.

"MOMMY! DADDY!" the little girl cried in his grasp.

"And I do a perfect job!" the woman announced, looking annoyed.

The hotel manager glared at the two. "I've checked the CCTV, I saw what happened and your reactions."

The mother of the girl came over and took her daughter. "How dare you pick up like that and make her cry!" she handed the girl to her husband before smacking Hector around the face.

Hector winced at the impacts. "I-I-I'm sorry!"

"YOU'RE GONNA BE SORRY!" the husband punched him in the stomach and stormed off with his wife.

Hector held his stomach. "CCTV?"

"Yes, you know, the security cameras?" The manager nodded and said as if talking to a simpleton.

The receptionist looked floundered for a moment. "W-Why aren't you firing Cedric?!" she asked loudly.

The manager looked slightly pleased she asked. "Because Cedric actually works well with everyone and he actually does his job properly!"

Cedric was going past with some bags. He didn't pay attention, as he was busy.

Hector grunted and rolled his eyes. "Kiss up..." he mumbled about the nicest employee in the entire hotel while he and Mrs. Stone were snobs, especially toward children.

The hotel manager looked at the two. "Just for that, Hector, you're going to have to wait for your last pay checks in the post." he told them. He then got security to escort them out.

Mrs. Stone glared at Hector as they were escorted out, but it was half-hearted to the embarrassment they were gaining from being escorted out.

"You're insane, you know that?" Hector was completely flabbergasted and felt insulted as he was being pushed out. "The nerve of some people!"

The hotel manager watched them go. The guards pushed the pair out into the street. Harry came close to the hotel, not realizing that people were going to be pushed out any second as he went to the area in front of the door. Mrs. Stone was pushed first, yelling shocked as she fell. Harry groaned as she fell on him, the surprise from the sudden unexpected woman landing on him.

Mrs. Stone got up, flustered at landing on a man.

Hector grumbled, then stood up, glaring at Harry. "Watch where you're going, ya bum!"

Harry got up, his scarf falling down. "You're the ones who bumped inta me!" he yelled, angry. "You should watch where ya both were goin'!"

Hector scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I tried to be nice to those wretched children when they came into the hotel, but seeing them alone sent me suspicious, bunch of credit card thieves... I bet that Maxine was in on it too." he folded his arms, thinking back on a while back before Christmas.

"What children?" Harry then asked, going serious and calmer.

Mrs. Stone straightened her uniform. "The McCallister children..." she said, before frowning at the memory of the brats.

"Miserable little bloke and his rather beautiful, yet irritating sister..." Hector rolled his eyes at memories as well. "'My Dad's on business', 'My Dad just left', pfft! Children these days... And his mother had the nerve to slap me..."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "I hate those little brats! They foiled my plans twice and turned my old partner against me!" he said, angrily. He looked at them. "The girl, I hate especially!" he growled, she had turned Marv against him and helped her brother set the traps.

Mrs. Stone looked at him.

"Oh, what could they have possibly done to you?" Hector sounded unimpressed.

Harry went to a more sheltered from view side with them. He then showed the injuries, the one on the top of the head, the hands and how all his teeth at the top were the gold ones now being the ones he could show respectfully. "They did this to me, and got me arrested twice!"

Mrs. Stone gained a sly look. "I have an idea..." she said quietly, so no one except the three of them would hear.

"Uh-oh, a woman has an idea, alert the authorities." Hector joked, laughing a little.

Harry snorted a little bit of a laugh too. He however was willing to find out what she had in mind.

"Very funny," Mrs. Stone said, but smirked a little. "I was thinking we go to their house near Christmas time and then we give them a little taste of their own medicine, make them all regret what they did to us."

Hector had a wicked grin, but then frowned. "How will we know where they live?"

Harry looked at them, his injuries covered back up.

"You forgot your old stuff!" one of the other employees called, throwing out a box of their old things from when they were employed in the hotel.

Hector turned to the box tossed out and wondered if it had any of the credit card information from when Kevin and Chelsea used it in place of their father.

Mrs. Stone noticed some of the paper cards.

Hector thanked her then looked through the papers. "How do we know they haven't moved? Are they a rich family?" he asked Harry, seeing how familiar he was with the McCallister family.

"They're pretty well off, the nicest house that was on the block..." Harry tells them.

Mrs. Stone looked between the two males.

"Really?" Hector grew intrigued.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, and if they hadn't have had help too and called the police, then we could-a hit the bingo."

Mrs. Stone looked at Hector, wondering what was going through his mind. She was thinking what she'd get the children to fall back by something colliding with them.

Hector thought and tried to organize a plan.

Harry looked at him as well as Mrs. Stone did. "What ya thinkin' of, pal?"

"Revenge." Hector smirked.

Harry smirked. "What ya got in mind?"

"I want them to be knocked down like they made us fall." Mrs. Stone said, adding the last bit more to Hector.

Hector shuddered at that memory. "Making us run around and knock each other down... How humiliating..."

Harry looked like he wasn't impressed. "I've been hit and knocked down by many things those brats did."

Mrs. Stone looked at them. "Well, we can give them a taste of their own medicine, but maybe a little worse?" she suggested. "So they would regret it? And remember the little wench also slapped you..." her voice sounded sorry for her superior.

"The daughter punched me." Hector remarked.

Mrs. Stone patted his shoulder.

"Well, shall we head to Chicago?" Harry grinned, showing off his gold teeth.

"Let's find a way." Hector nodded in agreement.

Harry nodded and looked at them. "You got the tickets? We'll rob 'em too so you can get the money back for buyin' 'em?" he suggested.

"Little bugger spent $800 on room service." Hector snorted.

Harry snorted too. "He knew they could afford it, the little brat..."

Mrs. Stone walked between the men.

"I still bet you Maxine was in on it with them, that's why I fired her." Hector smirked, even if he promised her a Christmas check.

"Who's this Maxine anyways?" Harry asked them with a smirk.

Mrs. Stone scoffed. "She used to work for Hector, but she helped the brats escape."

"I could always control her unless it came to capturing those brats." Hector added.

Harry nodded. He then started to think on what could happen.

Mrs. Stone was going to get them to the airport right away. She couldn't bear the length of time to get to Chicago.

"What'd they do to you?" Hector couldn't help but ask Harry, and saw the several bruises he had earned from the traps Kevin would set up.

Harry looked at Hector, telling him everything that had happened as they walked. He then grinned as he remembered one bit of payback he had had on Chelsea. "I shot the girl by the way..." he told them, quietly.

Mrs. Stone looked surprised, but not in a bad way. She blinked a little.

Hector tried to hold back some laughs of what Harry had been through because of Kevin and Chelsea. He stopped once he mentioned that he had shot the girl. "I thought she limped a bit when they came back to spend Christmas at the hotel..."

"I was gonna kill them both," Harry nodded. "But, it ended up, I couldn't, but at least I gave 'em a reminder of what I could do."

"I don't know who's more evil," Hector grinned kind of eerily. "I wanted to turn them into the police and you wanted to kill them."

Harry gave a short laugh, though it was humorless to the man. "If they had a good reason, then the police wouldn't have done anythin'."

Mrs. Stone kept quiet while Hector and Harry were talking.

Hector hummed and kept walking until they would get to Chicago very soon. Harry was surprised that they actually got through to board the plane, though he didn't show it. Mrs. Stone managed to convince the people to let them through, as they got the tickets.

"Goodbye, fabulous New York City, hello, not as pleasurable Chicago." Hector grunted under his breath.

"Just think of the revenge we'll have on those brats." Harry told Hector quietly, grinning at him.

"Yes..." Hector nodded, then got something sticky on him. He grunted in disgust and looked down to see a familiar little girl put her lollipop on him. "Little brat!"

The little girl started to whimper, then she cried that she was insulted with tears streaming down her face.

Harry looked at the girl, his eyes narrowing. "Scram kid..." he growled.

Mrs. Stone looked around for the parents. At that moment, the mother was looking around for the girl.

"MOMMY!" the little girl ran to her mother.

Hector looked back and felt like he was getting a taste of karma from earlier. "You got to be kidding me..."

Harry looked at the woman who recognizing Hector came storming over.

"Which of you upset my daughter?" the woman asked, angrily. Seeing Hector, she once again slapped him, and also slapped Harry. She glared at Mrs. Stone.

Mrs. Stone glared back.

Hector grimaced at the impact.

Harry growled and glared at the woman.

The woman took her daughter away from them. "If I run into you all again by upsetting my daughter, you'll all be in trouble."

"Keep that child on a leash, will ya!?" Hector scowled, hoping he'd never see them again today.

Harry nodded his agreement.

"You!" the woman growled, softly as to not upset her daughter, whirling around to glare at the trio. "How dare you!"

The little girl whimpered and buried her face in her mother's shirt.

"Let's see that kid when she steals your husband's credit card." Hector growled, wanting to get this flight over with and plot his revenge.

Harry hid his smirk as Mrs. Stone bit her lip to hide her amusement at Hector's retort.

The woman glowered at Hector and slapped him one last time before they went away.

Hector felt in shock from the slap, remembering the children's' mother doing that to him.

"He's a bad man, Mommy." the little girl told her mother.

"Yes, he is, sweetheart..." the woman told her daughter.

The girl stuck her tongue out at them and smiled sweetly at her mother.

The woman smiled back at her daughter.

Harry looked at Hector. "Is that what happened before?"

Mrs. Stone nodded and patted her ex-co-worker's shoulder.

Hector mumbled to himself as they got settled and made their way to Chicago. The sooner the better.

Harry stuck his tongue back out at the little girl.

Mrs. Stone raised an eyebrow.

"Children..." Hector growled, then they sat to wait to be able to board the flight.

Meanwhile back at the McCallister household Chelsea was sitting smiling as the other's were finishing or almost finished. She had only had three slices all together. Lex was still holding Max's hand. Kate had finished and was dabbing her mouth with a napkin. Kevin filled up after just one plate and was nearly drifting off.

"Max, can I try something with you real quick?" Marv stood up. "We'll be right back, Chelsea."

"Umm... Sure." Max shrugged and got out of her seat. "Excuse us."

Chelsea looked at Marv, smiling, but also kind of confused. "Okay..." she said, softly.

Seeing Kevin about falling asleep, Kate decided to get the boy to bed. She wasn't stressed anymore tonight and so was able to be nicer to Kevin than usual, though she tried her best to be nice to him anyway. Kevin fell fast asleep in his bed that night. Kate smiled and kissed Kevin's forehead and then went downstairs.

Marv was showing Max how he would propose to Chelsea, which would be fitting for the presentation. He even demonstrated and slipped the ring on her finger to show by example.

"That's lovely, I'm sure she'll like that!" Max beamed, then tried to get the ring off. She struggled a bit. "Uh-oh..."

Marv looked nervous and looked around for Kate or Peter. "We got a problem with the ring..."

Lex glanced at the door into the hall.

Kate came right down after sending Kevin to bed and looked shocked to see the ring on Max's finger and looked at Marv.

"It's not what it looks like," Marv tried to assure her. "We were practicin'... I never done this before."

"That's good to know." Max moaned with the ring stuck on her finger.

"I thought I did!" Marv shrugged.

Max washed her hands together, then the ring slipped off. "That was close." she smiled gently. "Let's get back in there and next time put the ring on HER."

Kate made sure the ring was clean and then led into the dining room.

Max blew on it a little and handed it to Marv. "Next time, put it on her finger." she smiled apologetically.

Marv chuckled a little, keeping the ring secure. "Should I wait until Kevin's up and about? I'd hate for him to miss it." he whispered to the woman of the household.

Kate looked at him. "Kevin isn't very well... So maybe we can tell him tomorrow or record it for him, or Chelsea could show him tomorrow." she whispered with a shrug.

Chelsea hummed a soft tune. Her soft humming and snippets of singing came from in the kitchen.

Peter was on the phone with his boss from work. He then came to his wife. "I have an important meeting tomorrow while Kevin's in school."

Kate sighed. "That's okay, Peter, I'm sure we'll be fine..." she then gave a small smile to Marv.

"Does he have a flu?" Peter glanced back at the stairs, noticing his youngest child had gone to bed early.

"Cold, possibly." Kate mouthed, looking at her daughter and possible future son-in-law.

Peter looked at her, then smirked, turning to see Chelsea and Marv.

Lex looked at his girlfriend. "What did Marv want?"

Max sat right next to him and hummed the wedding march to him, then kept quiet.

"Probably, should I do it now?" Marv asked, smiling and saw the anxious look on Chelsea's face. "You're going to like this."

Chelsea's worry turned into confusion but she smiled.

Max urged Marv to go on.

Marv nodded and got close to Chelsea. "I know we've only known each other with those funny pranks and getting arrested but I really learned my lesson from last time... and I'd like to spend the rest of my life with you and I hope you can make my wish come true, Chelsea Kimberly McCallister," Marv got on his knee and took out the ring. "Will you be mine?"

Lex grinned, waiting to hear the reply. It would be nice if they got a happy ending too.

Chelsea's face paled and her eyes widened. She was silent for a moment, but then covered her mouth with her right hand. "Yes, yes, I'll be yours!" she exclaimed in a gasp, smiling behind her hand. She held out her left hand as she knew that the ring would go on that ring finger.

Max's face lit up once she saw her best friend getting married now after all they had been through together.

Marv smiled, nearly crying and slipped the ring on her finger. "We'll make it official soon then."

Kate smiled widely and happily. "Congratulations!"

Lex grinned wider.

Chelsea, after bouncing excitedly, threw her arms around Marv's neck hugging him. Tears fell down her face but she had the widest smile ever on her face showing they were happy tears.

Peter was deeply moved. "Well, I guess my little girl is all grown up."

Kate then sniffled, the emotions running high. She hadn't thought of like that, though she was still happy for them. Peter gently hugged Kate as they watched the happy scene. She smiled, but cried too.

Max smiled back at Lex filled with swooning, then looked back at Chelsea and Marv, very happy for them. She was then wrapped around by Lex's arm as she smiled brightly at him.

Marv laughed, very happy.

For a moment, Chelsea decided to be braver, ignoring her family and friends a moment a moment too. "I'm not a-scared of kisses." she whispered, then kissed her fiance.

Marv chuckled with their inside joke, then allowed her to kiss him as he was really happy now.

Chelsea kissed him passionately but in a way that wouldn't get her in trouble for doing it in front of her parents.

Marv smiled at her, feeling refreshed. "You're not ascared of the dark, are ya?"

Chelsea giggled softly, resting her forehead on his. "No..."

"We'll go out sometime at the park..." Marv lightly chuckled.

Chelsea giggled, at the once again inside joke. She sighed happily and gave him one more, more chaste kiss.

Marv chuckled and nuzzled his nose into hers.

"I love you, Marv." Chelsea said softly, before pulling away slightly, but putting her arms around his waist and turned her head to look at her parents.

Kate looked at the clock and then, after wiping her eyes, smiled once more. "How about we all have a small glass of wine before we settle in the for the night?"

Max took her pizza crust and nibbled on it a little while smiling at Lex, feeling fortunate she had found and met him. They shared their own loving emotions toward each other, her thanking for the job and him thanking her for being able to work with her and hang out.

"I like that idea, Mom." Chelsea said.

"Sounds good, Mrs. McCallister." Lex focused on Kate and Peter.

"That's lovely, Kate." Peter smiled at his wife.

"I don't believe I've had wine before." Max raised an eyebrow with curiosity. "Is wine good?" she wondered.

"It's perfect for a celebration like this." Marv assured her with a friendly smile.

"Yes, Max, it's nice." Chelsea told her best friend as her mother came back with a bottle of a nice red one.

Lex looked at Max. "You can have a sip of mine, before you have a glass full to see if you like it."

"Okay, I was always one to try something new," Max smiled. "When i was a kid, I always ate asparagus, though everyone else was afraid to eat it."

Kate poured everyone a glass, except she waited for Max to try it first before she would pour the girl a glass. Chelsea held her glass and waited for Max to try it before she would drink. Lex gave his glass over to Max for her to take a sip from.

Max took her sample and popped her lips. "Not bad... Maybe a little more?"

"I think she likes it." Marv shrugged his shoulders.

Kate poured another glass and then passed it to the respective person. She then took her own and raised it, to make a toast. Chelsea looked at her mother. She blushed again. Lex followed her lead. Max did the same, as did Marv. Peter decided to get a glass as well and smile for the future of his family.

Kate smiled at Chelsea and Marv. "To the future happy couple, may they have health and prosperity."

Chelsea held her glass up and blushed while smiling up at Marv.

"To the happy couple," Lex repeated, grinning.

"Cheers!" Max chimed, holding up her glass.

Marv smiled, sniffling a bit with his glass.

Peter was nearly crying when he saw Chelsea again, envisioning her as when she was little before the other were born. She was now indeed all grown up. Chelsea smiled and took a sip of her drink. Her eyes were sparkling with happy tears again. Kate handed Peter her handkerchief and then took a drink. Peter took the hanky and dried his eyes. Marv seemed surprised by Peter crying, but kept his distance since this was a very happy occasion. Max drank a little more wine and ended up getting giggly.

"Right," Kate smiled, softly. "Let's go into the lounge." she led the way.

Chelsea, who wanted a second alone with Marv, told her friends and dad to go on ahead. Marv got her message and stayed with Chelsea, feeling very special.

Lex put an arm around Max, smiling as she giggled, and then led Max into the lounge. He sent a wink to Chelsea, and a cheeky look to Marv. Max hushed everyone, putting a finger to her mouth and left to go to the lounge with the others.

"Right then." Peter nodded and showed the others to it.

In the lounge, Kate was sitting with Peter while Lex and Max were together. They were just making conversation and then it was getting very late.

"Where are we gonna stay?" Max asked, nearly yawning.

Kate looked at Max and Lex. "You can stay the night if you want to." she told them.

"Oh, I wouldn't want us to impose." Max cupped her mouth a little.

"We insist." Peter added with a gentle smile.

Lex looked at Kate, surprised.

"Well, okay." Max smiled at her friend's parents.

Chelsea moved her hands to rest on both Marv's cheeks. She smiled and then went up on tiptoe and gave him the most passionate kiss she could. Marv gently held her in his clutches and enjoyed the celebration and kisses from the love of his life. He just hoped Kevin would accept him despite nearly trying to kill him when he'd be alone with Chelsea. She showed all the love she had for him and all of her happiness in the kiss.

"We're very lucky." Marv whispered, then kissed her tenderly.

Chelsea closed her eyes in the kiss. She loved Marv so much. "Yes, I'm so glad we met..." she whispered against his lips. She pulled back a minute and looked up at Marv smiling.

"I'm so sorry for what I was doing with you and your brother those two Christmases." Marv felt a little guilty.

Chelsea put a finger gently to his lips. "Shh, I forgive you, and Kevin seems to have done too." she told him, softly, but firmly.

Marv smiled a little happily and hugged her again. That had been eating him up of being a criminal ever since he first laid eyes on Chelsea when she was 18. He mostly wanted to be a bandit because Harry was doing it, but now he felt safe with her and the family and didn't have to worry about getting arrested again.

The next morning, Harry, Hector, and Mrs. Stone landed in Chicago.

Harry stumbled off the plane first, muttering. "Ugh, I hate heights..."


	3. Chapter 3

The only one who seemed fine was Mrs. Stone. She looked at the two men and gave a concerned look.

Hector deeply scowled once he got another kick in his back. He turned sharply. "Oh,... if it isn't my favorite little sweetie?" he grinned, nervously and aggravated with her.

The little girl growled and kicked him in a rather private place, then ran off to find her parents.

Harry winced seeing the last kick. Mrs. Stone narrowed her eyes at the kid. The parents were waiting for their daughter a little ways away. The little girl smiled to see her parents and went to them. "Mommy! Daddy!"

The mother smiled at her daughter and the father caught her and picked her up.

Hector grunted, looking at them with tears in his eyes. "Don't just stand there, get the bags!"

Mrs. Stone went to do just that. Harry patted Hector's back. He then followed behind them.

Hector scoffed at the family, then went to get his bags with the others.

Mrs. Stone took their bags off the bag conveyor belt and held her bag as the others got theirs.

Hector grabbed his bag and took out the address of the house and saw the time. "The lad's probably in school or something..."

Harry looked at the time too. "Nope, but they'd be on their way to school. However, the girl may be in..." He led the way through the airport, this was his old neck of the woods anyway.

Hector looked around Chicago and kept a sharp eye for anything. Mrs. Stone sniffed in contempt at the city of Chicago. Hector felt very out-of-place in a not so glamorous place. He felt cursed ever since he got fired from the job he loved because of rich tips from people and no back-chatting to annoy or bother him before returning home.

Harry looked at him. "We'll nip to my old place to store the bags, and then we'll go down and do what we have ta."

"Okay." Mrs. Stone agreed.

"Dare I ask where your old place is, Henry?" Hector asked, a little reluctantly.

Harry glared at Hector, angrily. "The name is Harry... And if you must know, it's a renovated warehouse!"

"Interesting." Hector smirked.

Harry just gritted his teeth and took them to his house. He got them to put their bags down and looked at them. "Right, we have ta decide what we're gonna do to the brats..."

Mrs. Stone looked around, then focused on the man. "I want them to get knocked over each other, and I want Maxine to be fired from her job with that musician."

"Revenge is a dish best served cold," Hector agreed. "That should do it, but when should we do it?"

Harry looked at his watch with a shrug. "Well, we could start off today if ya want."

"What do we start with?" Hector asked, a little too eagerly.

Harry gave him a weird look and shrugged. "Maybe we should rob the house first." He made them both change into less conspicuous clothes.

Mrs. Stone was in a more casual skirt and jacket ensemble while Hector put on a winter cap with a dark tan jacket, red scarf, and dark brown pants, and even wore boots. He looked more like a hobo than an innocent bystander. He felt very uncomfortable in the clothes from such a low-class instead of prim and proper high-class.

Harry looked them over, nodding at Mrs. Stone's outfit. He froze a minute at Hector's outfit. "Ya look like a bum."

Mrs. Stone giggled slightly.

Hector rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, let me go back to the Plaza Hotel and pick up my best clothes!" he snarked, he couldn't help it, he couldn't form one sentence to someone without sounding sarcastic or snarky.

Harry refrained from giving a him a kick. "I guess you'll be okay..." he then looked at his watch. "Let's go."

Mrs. Stone nodded and followed Harry with Hector. She was very excited they were going to get their revenge. This was going to be very delicious. Harry, Mrs. Stone and Hector would take a while due to them not having a car or van at the moment.

The next morning again, but the same morning as mentioned before, in the McCallister household. Chelsea was walking down from her room and popped in to check on Kevin. Kate was still asleep. Peter was next to her, seeming to sleep through his alarm. Lex was on one of the sofas. Max was next to him, curled up to him nearly like a ball in a blanket.

Kate shifted at the alarm. "Peter, clock's ringing..." she murmured, still half asleep.

"Huh?" Peter woke up suddenly and looked panicked. "Oh, man! We must've had too much fun last night." he smiled apologetically, setting off the alarm.

Kate giggled slightly.

Peter sat up and stretched. "You got work today?"

Kate shook her head, just before her phone rang.

"Speak of the devil." Peter joked, getting out of bed to use their bathroom while she would be on the phone.

Kate talked on her phone a minute. She then sighed and got up after she finished. "I do have to go to work after all."

Peter sighed, then came out, all ready. "Guess we'll meet up at dinner, who's taking Kevin to school?"

Kate got dressed and then wrung her hands. "Maybe he should have the day off, vacation starts tomorrow after all..." she said, remembering Kevin not feeling well last night.

"He's probably sick, he was running outside the other day." Peter shrugged, then flossed his teeth, getting ready for work.

"Yeah..." Kate nodded, softly, as she rushed to get ready for work.

Peter rushed too and zipped aroun the house looking for his case. Kate kissed Peter goodbye, and then finished getting ready.

Kevin yawned a bit and sat up in bed, covered in red spots. "I guess I better get ready for school..." he mumbled to himself.

Chelsea came in and saw Kevin's spots. "Oh, sweetie..." she said, softly. She turned him right around and got him back to bed. "No school for you..." she said, smiling a tiny bit. "Now, I'll make you some breakfast."

"What's wrong? I feel fine." Kevin replied, not seeing himself.

Chelsea quickly went up to her room and grabbed a mirror. She then came down and showed him. "Chicken pox..."

Kevin looked in the mirror and slapped his hands on his cheek, suddenly screaming.

Chelsea calmed him down. "I'll make you your favorite breakfast."

"Okay... Bendy straw when you bring in the drink, okay?" Kevin said, lightly.

"You got it, Kev." Chelsea nodded with a wink. She didn't flash the ring, though she was proud of what it stood for.

Kevin smiled, then noticed something different. "You seem like you're glowing... Are you really happy about something?"

Chelsea smiled and nodded. "How would you like to be a groomsman?" she asked him as she wanted Kevin to be a part of the wedding.

"A groomsman?" Kevin sounded a little excited. "What's that?"

"It's where you walk alongside one of the girls who are going to be my bridesmaids," Chelsea told him, smiling. "Think about it while I get your breakfast..." She gave him time to figure out why she'd need bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Kevin smiled at her, assuring he'd love to, but he needed to think about it first.

Marv came out of the bathroom and got dressed for anything to do with Chelsea. He got himself cleaned up and he helped himself to a quick glass of milk.

Chelsea went to make the breakfast. Seeing Marv, she smiled and snuck up on him, putting her arms around his waist. "Hiya..."

"Oh, hello there," Marv smiled, laughing a little. "Shouldn't Kevin be getting ready for school? I usually got to school around this time at his age and that's not a good example to follow."

"Kevin has chicken pox," Chelsea said, smiling and setting to work. "So, I'm making him breakfast."

"No problem, chicken pox is no fun, but at least he gets to start his Christmas vacation before the other kids." Marv said with a small laugh.

Chelsea nodded and giggled. She made Kevin's favorite pancakes but made a couple of extra for Marv to try. She'd get lessons if he didn't like her cooking.

Kate kissed Peter goodbye and then finished getting ready. She popped her head in Kevin's room, seeing him with chicken pox. "Oh, dear, I have to go to work, I'll get Chelsea and Marv to keep an eye on you, okay?" she asked as she was ready to go.

"I gotta get going, there's a big meeting." Peter said, before rushing to his car to get to work.

Kate, having to rush went in, kissed Kevin's forehead and then told the couple in the kitchen to stay in with Kevin before going out of the door in a rush.

Kevin fluffed up his pillows and tried not to scratch and glanced out the window seeing some other kids in the neighborhood like Mitch Murphy quickly get to school. He felt smothered from the kiss, but didn't react in disgust or distress.

Max and Lex were now awake and getting dressed and groomed. Lex was thinking of what to do with Max. He then settled on having a tour of Chicago from Max herself as he toured her New York before they came back.

Chelsea made Kevin's favorite pancakes, but made a couple of extra for Marv to try. She'd get lessons if he didn't like her cooking.

"Do you often cook for Kevin?" Marv made conversation.

Chelsea nodded. "When everyone's at home, I make sure Kev's looked after, Mom gets so stressed out that she sometimes forgets that he's there too..."

"Is that how you guys got home alone and lost in New York those couple of times?" Marv couldn't help but ask.

"Yeah," Chelsea nodded again. "But, Kev's always been the special one to me. When I held him when he was a baby, I knew I had to look after him no matter what." She plated up the pancakes, having also made some special plain ones for Lex and Max.

Marv smiled at her. He thought she would make a wonderful mother.

Chelsea smiled back softly. She got Kevin his juice with the bendy straw too. "Honey, will you tell the others to come in for breakfast? I need to go and get Kevin's up to him." she asked and explained.

Marv nodded and went to Max and Lex as they discussed places to visit in Chicago. "Pardon me, but breakfast is ready. Pancakes for all!"

"Pancakes!" Max was really eager. She hadn't had a pancake since she was six.

Lex looked excited too.

"Never tasted her pancakes before, this should be an exciting breakfast." Marv assured them.

"Let's get to it then." Max cheered.

Lex got himself and Max a couple.

Marv looked at the pancakes and gave Max and Lex the already readied plates. "Bon appetite." he told them, pronouncing the second word like the English pronunciation and not French like many people do when serving one another.

Lex grinned and tried some. He hummed in appreciation.

Chelsea took the breakfast tray up to Kevin. She smiled softly at him. "How you feeling, kiddo?" she asked, putting the tray on his bedside drawers.

"Not too bad, better than last night, that sleep really helped." Kevin smiled, then sat up once he smelled Chelsea's pancakes.

Chelsea smiled at him. "Okay, well, me and Marv will be downstairs if you need us, Max and Lex may be here or may go out a while." she said softly, hugging him and then handed him his tray. She gave a knowing smile. "Don't scratch the spots." she said with a wink.

"Thanks, I'll try." Kevin smiled, then went to enjoy his little breakfast in bed and turned on his TV to entertain himself. Kevin ate his breakfast, but he felt something suspicious. He took out his binoculars and glanced out his window to look at the neighborhood to see three strange characters about to enter. He couldn't place it, but there was something off and weird about them, but he continued to eat his breakfast in peace.

Chelsea smiled and went downstairs. She joined her fiancé and friends for breakfast downstairs, still smiling.

Max did the same. They tasted almost like how she remembered, she felt very privileged with the new life she had. "Oh, Chelsea... These are simply divine!"

"Yeah, they're pretty good too." Marv agreed, not knowing what that word meant.

"Chelsea, I'm sorry your mother and I have to run off, but you're in charge, okay? I'll see you later." Peter said before he officially left the house.

Chelsea looked at her dad and nodded. "Okay, Dad." she said, then turning her attention back to her fiancé and friends. She gave them a smile, her nose crinkling like usual. "Thanks, guys." she said as she came down to sit down next to Marv. Then while Lex and Max were busy eating, she quietly explained to Marv what the word meant, but in a way that wouldn't make him feel bad. She loved him the way he was, but thought that he should be able to know what things meant that he may have not understood.

Marv now understood and nodded and kept eating with his new-found friends.

Lex finished his pancakes rather quickly. He then tried to get Max to laugh by pretending that he was going to steal a little bit of her pancakes.

Max laughed and shook her head. "No! Mine!" she teased playfully, still laughing.

Chelsea smiled and ate her pancakes. She had some of the chocolate chip pancakes. "So, what are you two doing today?" she asked Lex and Max.

Lex gave a fake pout to Max and then looked at Chelsea. "Max is going to show me Chi-town."

"We're gonna start with my old house." Max smiled, adding in to the response.

Marv smiled at them as he ate his breakfast.

Chelsea smiled too. "That's nice..." she said, her voice soft. She took a sip of some juice.

Lex was waiting for Max to finish. He had a patient, happy look on his face. Max nearly finished and sipped some of her drink. Marv smiled at Chelsea, feeling very lucky. Chelsea smiled back at Marv. He may have felt lucky but she felt awed she could've ever found a man who understood why she was so close to her youngest brother in a house of many siblings. Lex took a big drink of his drink.

Marv smiled, eating his pancakes. "Wow, these are better than my mother's."

Max smiled as she finished her plate and gently pushed it aside. "Thanks, Chels, you really outdone yourself."

Chelsea smiled at Max, she then smiled at Marv. "I'll take that as a compliment." she said with a wink.

Lex nodded.

"These pancakes should be in a restaurant." Marv smiled once he completely finished his breakfast.

"Aww, Marv..." Chelsea blushed deeply, but smiled.

Marv smiled the same way and noticeably blushed.

"Have you heard of anything about Chicago that you would like to know more about?" Max asked the love of her life.

Lex looked at her. "Just wherever you want..." he said with a smile. He loved her too. He stood up. "Shall we go?"

Max stood up next to him and faced Chelsea. "We're going to do some sight-seeing, see you guys later?"

Chelsea smiled at Max and nodded. "Okay, see you guys later." she got up to hug her friends.

Lex patted her back and then stepped back once she let go. "We'll bring back lunch."

Max enjoyed the hug and stepped back. "We should be back later in the afternoon. Make sure Kevin stays warm and safe and doesn't scratch."

"That's the hardest part." Marv replied.

"Chelsea...?" Kevin had come downstairs with the breakfast tray in his hands, not feeling that tired or weak.

Chelsea smiled and then went to Kevin and took the tray. "Did you enjoy it, kiddo?"

"Yeah," Kevin smiled, then turned to the leaving couple. "Where you guys going?"

Lex led Max out with a smile to Marv. "See you guys, later." he said, grinning at Kevin.

"I'm just gonna show Lex around town, we'll be coming back with lunch." Max told him, gently.

Chelsea smiled again. She then took the tray into the kitchen and came out again. "Take care Max, Lex..." she told them.

Lex grinned at the boy. "What would ya like, Kev?"

"Well, we had pizza last night...What else could we get?" Kevin pondered something other than his absolute favorite dish, cheese pizza.

"How about burgers? Kids like burgers." Marv suggested.

"Do you guys like burgers?" Max asked aloud for both Kevin and Chelsea to answer.

Chelsea shrugged, looking at Kevin for his opinion. "Yeah, burgers are okay."

Lex put his shoes on as he waited for Kevin to answer.

"Just no pickles and onions." Kevin answered.

"Okay," Max smiled as she got on her winter jacket. "Any special kind for you, Chels?"

"Just plain," Chelsea told her friend, smiling. "No salad, pickles, or sauce."

Lex smiled. "Okay, we'll see you later..." he said, figuring Marv would want a plain burger or something too.

"I'm not picky, but..." Marv was about to answer like he did with Kate about the pizza.

"It's okay Marv, I'm sure we'll manage." Max smiled apologetically.

"We'll get you the same, Chels," Lex told the woman and then opened the door for Max after grabbing their coats.

"Oh, my, what a gentleman." Max smiled, going for the door.

Kevin smiled and tried very hard not to scratch his itchy red bumps.

Chelsea caught Kevin, looking like he wanted to scratch his spots. "I think we have some chamomile somewhere." she said, looking sympathetic.

"Does it burn any?" Kevin asked, nearly scratching.

Chelsea shook her head. "No, it doesn't, Kev, it's soothing," she told him and smiled. "Now, do you want me to do your back and you do the rest?"

"Yes, please." Kevin smiled a little, loving his time with his sister.

Lex smiled and helped Max put her coat on before putting his own on. "See you later, guys."

Marv waved at Max and Lex and smiled at Chelsea's big sister instincts.

Chelsea nodded and rested her arm on Kevin's shoulders gently. "C'mon then, see you in a few minutes, Marv." she said, smiling, taking him back upstairs, popping into the bathroom to get the chamomile.

"No problem." Marv smiled at them, then turned on the television.


	4. Chapter 4

Max got dressed with her favorite garland green sweater and held herself in warmth. She got on black sweatpants too with warm sneakers rather than boots. Lex was now in a warm jumper, jeans and had blue socks, and got on his shoes, he had not worn them earlier for being in the house. The two were off to tour Chicago, unknowing there was an evil group following them.

Harry looked down the street. "I remember this place now, only the brats' house failed..."

"They live here?" Hector sounded surprised at the beauty of the house.

"Yeah," Harry nodded, looking at the house.

Mrs. Stone looked at Hector. "Well, this will be fortuitous to get the money we're owed..." she said in whisper.

Hector nodded at her in agreement.

Harry sniffed. "It will be once we've scoped it out again." He said, so they knew there was no traps.

Hector smirked, feeling ready to tackle this down. There then came a school bus then zipped by them, splashing him with the icy water in a hole, making him cringe and shudder. "Blasted children..."

"Even the buses that carry kids don't like ya." Harry snorted.

Hector rolled his eyes and shook himself a little dry and warm. "Moving on."

Harry got them to sneak up to the house to look in. He motioned for the other two to follow him out of sight as the McCallister front door was open. Hector looked around with Mrs. Stone before they crossed, then they quickly scampered together.

"It looks like the brats and Marv are there," Harry told the pair he was working with. "And the other guy and girl are leaving for a while..."

Mrs. Stone and Hector nodded.

"Must be the chap that stood up for Maxine before I fired her." Hector observed.

Harry tried to think of what to do so they could rob the house. He looked at Hector, sizing the man up. He thought that maybe Hector could take on Marv a while, while he dealt with the 'brats' and Mrs. Stone could search for money and valuables.

"When do we move?" Hector asked.

Harry looked at him. "As soon as the guy and girl go... How strong are ya?"

"I don't really know, actually..." Hector pondered for a moment, trying to ignore the teasing snickering from Mrs. Stone.

Harry raised an eyebrow as Mrs. Stone snickered behind her hand.

Hector glanced at her. "I'm strong!"

Mrs. Stone fought to compose herself.

"Can you take care of a guy about...?" Harry asked, describing Marv.

"I'm sure I can." Hector sounded sure of himself like he often would.

"Well, when we go in, you take care of the man," Harry informed, pointing to Hector, himself, and finally to Mrs. Stone at the last bit. "I'll sort out the kid and girl, and she can grab the stuff."

Mrs. Stone had managed to compose herself, but only trusted herself to nod. Otherwise, she'd burst out laughing.

"Right then." Hector nodded.

Harry took them to get into the house, once again going over the plan.

Hector did his best to listen and comprehend through the accent Harry had and put it into mental thoughts he could understand, feeling more successful and victorious than a low-class individual.

Mrs. Stone went ahead first into the house, very quiet anyway. Harry looked at them as Mrs. Stone tried the doorknob. He expected a cry of pain, but blinked once as it didn't happen. He mimed for them to be quiet and snuck in. Mrs. Stone waited for the out of sight signal.

Hector looked around and looked for Marv. He grew very repulsed by the man's appearance. "What does that woman see in that bloke?" he mumbled under his breath.

Harry glared at Hector, sure, now he disliked Marv, but no one could bad mouth him...Except for himself (Harry). "Shut it," he whispered. "I bet ya thought she'd choose someone like you, huh?"

"At least I can afford a real job." Hector mocked, quietly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You get Marv, I'll go and get the brats." he said quietly, then he headed upstairs, following the sound of the voices. Harry snuck up the stairs and then waited outside Kevin's room, out of sight.

Hector nodded and thought of his perfect way to get Marv into their trap.

Chelsea popped into the bathroom to get the chamomile. Kevin coughed in his hand a little, climbing up the stairs with his sister. Chelsea got the chamomile and then went into Kevin's room with him. She let him take the PJ top off and rubbed the lotion in his back gently.

Kevin felt soothed and calm once the lotion was applied to himself. "Thanks, Chelsea... I don't feel that sick, but these spots are driving me crazy. Is it true you only get this once?"

Chelsea smiled and wiped her hands on a towel. "That's true, Kev, so once these are gone you'll never have them again." She ruffled his hair a little when her hands were clean.

"Well, that's good to know." Kevin relaxed. "Think we could watch a movie?"

"Sure," Chelsea said with a wink. "Not that Angels in Manhattan, huh?"

"I think I'm getting over them, they got repetitive..." Kevin shrugged. "They have a third one, but I swear, it's the same story over and over."

Chelsea giggled. "Yeah..."

"I think it's called déjà vu." Kevin shrugged. "I'm still up for a movie though."

"Yeah, it's déjà vu," Chelsea nodded with a smile. "Anything in particular you fancy?"

"Maybe a comedy, I could use a laugh." Kevin lightly smiled, stretching his arms and legs.

Chelsea nodded and hugged Kevin. "Okay."

"You're my favorite sister." Kevin smiled gently.

"You're my favorite sibling outta all of them." Chelsea told him with a smile.

Kevin laughed, organizing himself happily. He then shuddered once he saw a big bug on his bedroom window cill. "Yikes! We got any spray? I thought bugs went away for the winter!"

Chelsea looked at the bug. "Hmm... Keep an eye on it, I'll go grab the spray."

Kevin stared at the bug, trying to kill it with his mind. He then looked farther down and felt something off about this bug. He looked at his toy car with a video attached to it and saw videos. he saw three familiar faces planning a break in for revenge on the McCallisters. he wasn't sure how or when, but he was going stop them once and for all. This madness had to stop.

Chelsea went out to get the bug spray. She was shocked though when she was pulled to Harry, her mouth covered.

"Hello, beautiful..." Harry taunted in a whisper.

"CHELS!" Kevin cried. he then rushed to warn Marv.

Chelsea narrowed her eyes. She then used one of the patented defense moves. She elbowed his solar plexus, stepped on the inside of his foot, hit his nose, and then hit him in his 'family jewels'. She then went to run away.

Harry cried out in the end, falling to his knees. Harry grunted in pain and mumbled some swear words. "HEY!" he cried, hoarsely, then tried to go after her.

Chelsea half limped, just the thought of Harry making her old injury hurt, half ran.

"You're dead, girl!" Harry growled, then dashed to capture her.

"You already tried that!" Chelsea taunted him, still running/limping.

Harry growled and weakly tried to go after her.

Chelsea took a second to look between the banister and the stairs to decide which to take.

Harry made his way to catch up with her. "You're dead this time when I shoot ya!" he took out his gun.

Chelsea climbed onto the banister and looked at the gun before pushing herself to slide down the bannister.

Harry looked amazed by her agility, then went after her. He tried to shoot at her, but the bullets kept missing. He wasn't so lucky this time.

Chelsea giggled, though the tone was marred with worry as the bullets missed her but were still being shot at her. Her ring glinted as she landed on the floor, the roller-coaster of a banister stopping.

Kevin looked all around and saw indeed Harry and the hotel staff had been back for revenge. He just had to wonder why Cedric wasn't there. He helped in the chase of course when Hector called him a credit card thief. He stayed hidden and thought of ways to help, even if he was home sick from school.

He saw that Mrs. Stone had snuck past in search of anything valuable or money like. She put everything she deemed worthy taking into a sturdy bag she found.

Kevin started to hide and shot a stapler gun against Mrs. Stone while she was robbing.

Mrs. Stone let out a loud yelp as the staple hit her. She looked down to see what it was and then looked around for her assailant.

Kevin then took out his slingshot and shot tiny toy cars against her to get her to run off.

Mrs. Stone dropped the bag and ran off to get to the nearest exit.

"YOU'RE GONNA DIE, GIRLY!" Harry threatened.

Kevin ducked down to avoid being seen and he heard Harry's voice. He grew very angry that his sister was being threatened.

"I don't think so!" Chelsea yelled back at Harry and turned to start running again.

Hector knocked on the door and tried to look like an innocent bystander, awaiting for answer.

Marv looked from past the TV and went to answer the door. "Hello?"

"Good day, sir, how are you this fine day?" Hector asked with a false smile he usually gave, especially to costumers.

Marv gave a smile back. "I'm great, how 'bout you?"

"Are the owners of the house in?" Hector asked, casually.

"Nope," Marv shook his head. "Peter and Katie are out."

"Oh, darn the luck," Hector kept his grin on his face. "That's a real stinker... Maybe I should check the house to see if there's anything special..." he tried to step in, but was pushed right out.

"Nope!" Marv said, popping the P. "No can do, me and Chels have been left in charge!"

"Oh, but you can trust me, sir... "Hector tried to look as innocent as possible. "I'm an old friend of Mr. and Mrs. McCallister!"

Marv grinned. "What's your name?"

"John Hector," the former concierge greeted and took out his hand. "Nice to meet a family friend."

Marv grinned and shook his hand. "More than a friend... I'm Chelsea's future husband!" he said loud and happily. The pause between the first and last bit would make anyone confused as to what it really meant.

Hector felt uncomfortable once Marv grabbed his hand, infecting it with whatever diseases he may have. He then stepped back nervously, but kept his smile. "How wonderful... How about I come in and say congratulations to your blushing bride?" he kept trying to go in.

Harry growled on his way to the girl. As Chelsea was gone, Kevin placed a skateboard in place, then quickly dashed away. Harry stepped onto it, then slid and wailed as he crashed into Mrs. Stone, knocking them both down.

Chelsea managed to run to the hallway and saw Marv talking to someone, though she couldn't see who. So being curious, and Thankful Harry seemed to have disappeared, she went to the door and looked around Marv to see who it was.

Kevin giggled as he secretly watched the impacts in the safety of his bedroom.

Mrs. Stone slapped Harry. "Get off me, you bum!"

Harry winced in pain and got up. "Not my fault, you ran into me if anythin'!"

Mrs. Stone got up and glared at him. "You were the one who came flying out of nowhere and bashed into ME!" she shouted.

"You're crazy, lady! That's what you are!" Harry grunted, dusting himself clean.

Mrs. Stone gave him a kick and then started to walk away.

"Crazy lady!" Harry grunted in even more pain, and went to her. "I thought ya were gonna steal their stuff!"

"I was attacked by cars and staples!" Mrs. Stone glared at him.

"Sure, sure." Harry rolled his eyes, then mumbled under his breath. "Women... can't do nuthin' right..."

Marv shook his head at Hector, then noticed Chelsea peeping around him. "Well, I guess you can, she's here now..." he said, sounding confused how she got there.

Hector felt nervous and his face paled. "H-Hello, Kelsey..." he called her the wrong name. He could care less about what it really was.

Marv looked confused. "It's not Chelsea, not Kelsey."

Chelsea's eyes widened and then narrowed. "YOU!" she half hissed, and then moved in front of Marv, so she wouldn't hurt him. Her hand raised and then came down toward Hector's face.

"Chels, what are ya doing?" Marv asked. He could only stand there and watch.

Hector silently screamed in alarm from Chelsea's incoming attacks.

Chelsea managed to slap him again. "Get away from my house, and stay out of my life!"

Hector hissed in pain, but he managed to grab her wrist before she could get away. He then started to pull her away and didn't care for Marv's feelings or her own safety.

Chelsea stumbled and tried to tug her hand and wrist away. She got wet socks from the snow.

Marv stood there a moment, his face then angered. "Bring back my future wife!" he yelled, tugging his shoes on while hopping after them.

Hector saw Marv coming after him and hoped he could outrun him and hid in the next-door yard, nearly stumbling against the mailbox and knocking it down, breaking it open.

"WHAT WAS THAT!?" Mrs. Hess hissed from inside the house, hearing the kerfuffle.

Hector's eyes widened and he hid behind a tree with Chelsea, then placed her own hand on her mouth to keep her quiet.

Chelsea growled from behind the hand gag. She couldn't bite her own hand... It would be counter-productive.

Marv ran and looked at Mrs. Hess. "You haven't happened to see a man dragging Chelsea along, have you, ma'am?"

Mrs. Hess growled at the sight of her busted mailbox and looked up at Marv. "Did she do this!? Those McCallisters!" Her voice was enough to make Mrs. Stone and Harry hide away.

Marv shook his head. "Nope, it was the man dragging her." he said, once again, popping the P.

Mrs. Hess huffed, then folded her arms. "I wanna see this young man and give him a piece of my mind!"

Hector removed Chelsea's hand, looking back and placed his own hand in place, not noticing as he watched Marv talk with the cranky old lady next door.

Chelsea's eyes glinted happily and she wiggled her head until she could bite Hector's hand. "Hel-!" she started to yell.

"SHUSH!" Hector hissed at her.

Chelsea hissed back, having a bit of fun annoying the pompous man. "Never!" she then yelled and tugged hard to try to get her wrist free.

Marv had heard Chelsea's voice shouted like he had once.

Mrs. Stone looked at Harry in their hiding spot. "I think Hector has the annoying female..."

"We better help 'em." Harry suggested.

Kevin put out mousetraps out the door they would get out of before hiding in the garage. He kept watching the bad guys in secret, he never outgrew his phase. Maybe he should work for the FBI when he grows up.

Mrs. Stone stepped on the one placed for her and let out a yelp while trying to get it off her foot.

"Wuss." Harry rolled his eyes, then started to notice the mouse traps and get hurt as well. Was this house a trap just waiting to unleash on them?

Hector tried to keep her quiet, and grew increasingly nervous that he would be exposed.

Mrs. Hess stormed over and saw Chelsea held captive by Hector. "You let go of her right now!"

"Look, I don't even-" Hector tried to explain from the pain, and let Chelsea go, but he got his eyes drenched with Mrs. Hess and her pepper spray, making him whine and fall in agony.

Chelsea stumbled to get closer to Marv. "Thank you, Mrs. Hess..." she said, softly.

Marv held his arms open to his future bride. Chelsea went and hugged Marv. She was shivering a little. Cold+wet+socks on feet= person wearing socks was cold. They still hugged a moment, before they started to head back to their house. As it is kind of where Marv is staying and is Chelsea's home.

Mrs. Hess had a soft smile for Chelsea now, seeing as she was innocent and didn't really do anything.

Hector winced and crawled in pain, nearly crying. "This just isn't my day..." he mumbled.

Chelsea smiled back at the woman. She liked Mrs. Hess even if the woman was grumpy a lot. Marv stood there still waiting for Chelsea to enter his arms.

Mrs. Hess went back inside to her own business.

Mrs. Stone shook off the trap and then stalked angrily down the street. "You want the girl, grab her yourselves!" she yelled at the two guys. She did plan to do her part of the revenge if she met Max.

"What're you gonna do then?" Harry asked while Hector moaned, rubbing his stinging eyes.

Mrs. Stone looked at Harry. "I'm going to get Maxine fired from her new job."

"What'd the girl ever do to you?" Harry wondered.

Mrs. Stone glared, though not anyone. "It was because of her, Hector and I were fired!"

"Little twit!" Harry scowled.

Hector came back to them, trying to move his hands around to see by feeling. He managed to grab Mrs. Stone, but by an area women do not like to be grabbed, on her chest.

Mrs. Stone froze before she shoved Hector off her into some snow face first, that luckily -for him, not any good person- washed away the pepper spray and soothed his eyes.

Hector wailed as he fell, then felt soothing once he got his eyes washed away from the pepper spray. "Thank you, Mrs. Stone." he mumbled through the snow to her.

Mrs. Stone just huffed.

"That kid is too good, he always does this to us, before Marv went with that girly sister of his." Harry growled, glaring back at the house. "We need to get that girl away from him so he knows how it feels to lose a partner!"

Mrs. Stone now looked at Harry. "Well, I'll be busy, so don't expect me to help."

The men looked at her, feeling annoyed and scolded by strict mothers.

Mrs. Stone looked back at them, an eyebrow raised.

"What?" both men asked like annoying children.

"You better get on with your planning and GROW UP." Mrs. Stone told them. She then made her plan as she would keep an eye out for Maxine and Lex.

Hector stuck his tongue out at her. "What now, genius?" he asked Harry.

"I think those kids keep trying to make me look stupid." Harry mumbled about Chelsea and Kevin.

"They don't need any help from you, sir." Hector said sarcastically.

"That's right!" Harry pointed, not realizing what he had said.

Harry glared at Mrs. Stone, who had snorted in amusement, then kept his motivations strong.

Hector smirked in amusement, then looked into the distance. "That must be the boy's car..."

Mrs. Stone looked too and smiled haughtily. "See you later, boys, time to go and do my revenge..."

Kevin watched from his window, then settled himself in bed to get some more rest.

Chelsea went up to change her socks while Marv was making cups of warm tea for everyone. She then popped her head into her youngest brother's room. "You okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, you alright?" Kevin asked, looking well rested.

Chelsea gave Kevin a gentle hug. "I'm okay."

"Careful, that lotion smells funny." Kevin warned once their skin touched.

Chelsea shrugged, kissing the top of his head. "I don't care." she then checked her watch.

Kevin smiled once he saw some tea with Marv coming in.

Chelsea smiled at her fiancé. "That's sweet, Marv, thank you."

Marv handed them all a cup of tea.

Kevin smiled in his bed as he gently took a cup of tea. "Thanks Marv, no hard feelings about those pranks to get you and Harry down?"

Marv gave a smile as Chelsea smiled. "Don't worry about it. I just hope you can forgive me for trying to rob ya and doin' that bad stuff."

"Hey, you're looking out for my sister now, we're family almost." Kevin said back, sipping his tea, hoping that would soothe his throat from coughing earlier.

Chelsea sipped on her tea. Marv grinned and sat down on the edge of Kevin's bed, nearer the bottom. Chelsea looked at Marv with a loving look in her eyes while her face still held a soft look for Kevin. Marv smiled goofily, but lovingly back.

Kevin laughed at the goofy face and he felt good to have this kind of company. At least now he doesn't have to worry about his siblings anymore, and his cousins were back home where they belonged instead of keeping stay at Kate and Peter's like almost always.

It was really refreshing. Chelsea loved how whenever Marv was around she had butterflies in her stomach, and if her siblings were there at the same time how they at least showed her and Kevin respect. Marv decided to go by a phrase he once heard and tried to make Kevin laugh. The saying was 'laughter is the best medicine'.

"I really appreciate you guys staying and helping me, better than school." Kevin smiled.

Chelsea smiled. "You're my favorite sibling, I'd rather stay than be with the others."

Marv grinned. "I dunno what I'd be doin'."

"You probably wished you were an only child before I was born." Kevin looked at her. "Like.. How I wished everyone but you would go away..."

Chelsea looked at him, seriously but not mad or upset. "Kevin, I wouldn't have made that wish at all, if I did you wouldn't be here if it came true, but you know you're my special little brother, and the only sibling i like and can relate too, right?"

Marv looked at her, he understood the strong bond between Kevin and Chelsea, still thinking she would make a great mother one day, even if she didn't like the other siblings much.

Kevin looked back at her. "Yeah, I guess... When I made that wish, I was kidding... I was angry though, you saw what those guys did."

"Yeah," Chelsea nodded. "They were jerks, but I'm glad that we'll stick together, squirt."

Marv wondered if it would be better if Kevin perhaps stayed with them when he, himself, and Chelsea got married. After all he had seen first hand what Buzz did often.

Kevin laughed a little and kept his smile. He still felt a little sick, but he was glad to have company instead of being stuck in bed all day when he wasn't tired or felt very bored.

Chelsea smiled again and then took a look at him. "I have a proposition... You can join us for lunch downstairs, but you go back to bed after and I'll get you something sweet from the shop. Deal?" she asked the boy.

Marv chuckled a little amused.

"You mean I have to sleep again?" Kevin flopped back down in his bed nearly in defeat.

Chelsea watched him, amused slightly. "No, you don't have to sleep, but Mom and Dad would kill us both if they found out you came out of bed." she laughed slightly.

Marv watched Kevin, kind of amused. "And ya can watch a film too." he suggested.

Kevin released a sigh. "Okay, but only if I can pick the movie. Last time I was sick when I was a kid...Well, okay, younger, Mom made me watch that dancing dinosaur video like I was a baby or something."

"Sure thing." Chelsea nodded, shuddering at the thought of the dancing dinosaur film.

"Deal." Kevin kicked back with his hands behind his head.

Marv took the empty cups down before going back up to join the siblings.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Stone was hiding behind the burger place as Max and Lex pulled in.


	5. Chapter 5

Max had given Lex a tour of Chicago, or as she liked to call it, the Big Apple's distant cousin. She showed the coffee shop, the book store, and her old house. Lex paid close attention to everything she said as she really loved to hear her talk and spend some nice time with her.

"Almost lunch time, did you enjoy your tour of Chicago?" Max asked Lex after driving around for a while.

Lex smiled softly at Max. "It was great, Max."

"Glad you enjoyed it," Max smiled back. "Oh, do you think they'll want fries with their burgers?" she suddenly asked, remembering lunch.

"They might do." Lex said with a shrug.

"I always wanted to try cheese fries, do you know if they're any good?" Max wondered. "Mom could never afford them, even when we'd be out having casual time."

"They're nice," Lex grinned. "I'll get you some if want, Max."

"Okay, wouldn't hurt to try." Max smiled, a little sheepishly and excited.

Lex smiled and drove to a place where they could get what they needed, unknowing that Mrs. Stone was making her plan. Max and Lex smiled as they got lunch for themselves and their friends.

"You want me to go in and get the food or would you like to?" Max offered once they ended up in a burger joint.

Lex looked at her. "I'll go in if you want."

"Okay, make sure you have a lot of money just in case." Max told him with good advice.

Lex nodded and headed into the burger place, after smiling at Max. Mrs. Stone went into the burger place and looked out for Lex. Max smiled and kept herself busy by listening to some music in the radio. The girl hummed about, enjoying the music. She had such a way with words that she often helped Lex with lyrics here and there. She was completely unaware of what was going on around her or inside the restaurant as she waited.

Lex got the things, quite happily. He then was waylaid by Mrs. Stone and had to listen to what she said. She told him many different lies about Maxine, one of which saying that when she stayed at the Plaza hotel Maxine had stolen money and jewelry. Her hair was down so she wasn't very recognizable. She didn't realize Lex could see through her lies.

Lex set a calm, but angry gaze on Mrs. Stone. "I know Max would have never done that, she is a good and hard worker..." he said before walking off, dismissing the woman.

Mrs. Stone looked blank a moment, and followed, trying to convince him.

"Can I take your order?" the teenage boy asked behind the counter as he got money from the person before him.

Lex gave his order for his friends and girlfriend as well as his own. Mrs. Stone scowled as Lex was now completely ignoring her, so she walked away angrily. A little boy was playing with a toy balloon as Mrs. Stone was leaving and it bumped into her, nearly knocking her down. Mrs Stone let out a startled but angry yell and then got up and stormed out of the restaurant. Mrs. Stone walked past where Harry and Hector were.

Lex got his food and paid the guy.

"That'll be all?" the boy gently asked Lex.

"Yes, thanks." Lex nodded. He then turned to leave.

"Have a nice day!" the boy called out, waiting for the next person in line.

Lex came out of the shop, and headed to the car.

Max looked in the rear view mirror and smiled a little to see her nice clean teeth. She then felt a little panicked as she saw a familiar face from the Plaza Hotel looking back at her. She then quickly rolled up the window and tried to ignore him and still wait for Lex.

Hector's eyes narrowed as he looked at Maxine, before a freaky smile appeared on his face.

Max felt frozen and she tried to keep calm once Lex would come back. She stroked her hair nervously, hoping he wouldn't come to her. She knew that face anywhere. Hector was enjoying freaking Maxine out. Maybe if he seemed to 'disappear' when Lex came out it would make her think she was seeing things.

Max covered her eyes. "Please... Go away, sir..." she mumbled to herself.

Taking that as his cue Hector went away so Maxine wouldn't see him at all.

Max kept an eye out, then looked back at Lex with a smile. "Oh, good, you got the food. I think I'm hungrier than I thought, I could've sworn I saw my old boss."

Lex looked at her, confused. "I don't see anyone, Max." He said, however shrugging and then started to car and drove them to the McCallister's place.

"I could've sworn i saw him..." Max shrugged as well and looked out the window as they went back with lunch.

Lex hummed a soothing tune as he drove. Max sniffed the food in the bag it was collected in and tried her best to resist sneaking some until she and the others would all sit down for lunch. Lex drove pretty quickly but never once breaking the speed limits. Max felt so safe and calm with Lex now. Lex soon had them back to the McCallistair house as soon as Chelsea allowed Kevin to stay down with her and Marv and a video before he would go back to get some rest.

Kevin looked at an old video collection. "What's good...? What's good...?"

Chelsea reached the higher ones too to show Kevin as Marv watched from the doorway.

"This seems like a good one." Kevin's eyes lit up as he took out a video with the picture of a shark on the cover.

Chelsea looked at it and scrunched her face up in thought. "Jaws? It's kind of scary, Kev..." she warned, gently.

"How scary can it be?" Kevin asked, looking brave.

Chelsea looked at him. "'Angels in' series are less scary than that..." she said, not wanting him to end up with nightmares.

Kevin shrugged and took out a video copy of ET.

Chelsea smiled.

Max helped carry the food in. "Lunch!" he called out.

Hearing Lex and Max return made Chelsea giggle. "Come on then, Kev."

Kevin nodded and followed her to get a nice lunch.

Marv smiled at the couple cheerfully. "I've set the places!"

Max came to the kitchen to set the bag down and get some extra stuff like ketchup or anything for their fries. "Thanks Marv."

Lex came into the kitchen with a smile to the taller man. Chelsea smiled and rubbed her warm ears, they suddenly went warmer. She and Kevin were soon downstairs. Marv held out the chairs for the siblings.

"Remember, no pickles and onions." Kevin reminded his sister's friend and her boyfriend.

"Don't worry, we took care of that." Max assured him with a smile.

Lex held out Max's seat for her.

"Oh, Lex, such a gent." Max smiled, using a false Southern accent to sound like a belle and sat down with a smile.

"It was mah pleasure, ma'am." Lex grinned, saying in a similiar accent.

Max giggled gently.

Marv held out the chairs for the siblings. Chelsea smiled lovingly at Marv and took her seat. She didn't comment, trusting Max and Lex to have got the lunch requests right. Marv smiled sweetly back as he pushed in her chair as she sat in it. Kevin helped himself into a seat and found the burger for him and was ready to eat.

Chelsea smiled as Marv helped to tuck in Kevin too, before the man sat down himself. Marv was happy and felt the warmth of having a proper family, well soon to be official family. Lex then took his own seat and started to sort out who's lunch was who's.

Kevin looked at everyone before he had to get back to bed for further resting. "Thank you all for being here... You're a great family. Especially you, Marv." he smiled brightly at the former bandit.

Chelsea found her eyes welling up happily. What Kevin said was so sweet.

Marv smiled nicely and ruffled Kevin's hair. "You're okay too, little buddy."

Kevin laughed a little. "Okay, get off." he teased a little.

Lex chuckled, amused by Kevin's teasing. Max smiled fondly. She loved the chemistry everyone had with each other like a real family. Kevin's turn of phrase made it even sweeter. Chelsea wiped her eyes a little and giggled softly. Marv grinned and put his hand back on the table. Max and Kevin shared a thumbs up before they would get settled. Chelsea, Lex and Marv started to eat at the same time with the others.

Hector, still hidden, smirked and only came back out once the car was gone. He then looked for that imbecile Harry. The sticky/wet bandit was thinking of what he could do with Chelsea once he would get her. She would pay indeed for stealing his partner without a fair fight. Their toy store heist would've gone just fine if she hadn't made him feel guilty and more like a gentleman.

Hector came over to find him. "What are you thinking about?" he asked, seeing a look of deep thought on Harry's face.

"How rich we're gonna be, plus I need to get that girl out of the picture, then Marv will know how it feels to lose someone he can trust." Harry grinned, wickedly.

Hector looked at Harry and then smirked. "I do owe her a few...Injuries."

"What'd she do to you?" Harry wondered.

Hector motioned to the only slightly red hand print on his face. "Well today she slapped me, and she punched me the night she ran from the hotel..." he said, with a slight growl.

Harry laughed a little that Hector let himself get beat up by a 'little girl'.

Hector glared at Harry. "Says the man who was beaten by a kid..." he retorted.

Harry deeply growled at him, wanting to knock him unconscious or something.

Hector gave a small smirk. "Well then, don't mock," he said, his tone mocking Harry. He then straightened up. "Maybe we should wait until the girl leaves the house, she has to come out sometime." he suggested.

Harry grunted, rolling his eyes. "The kid's sister, right?"

"Who else you dolt?" Hector asked, smirking. "We could get a lot of valuables, money, whatever else you want... Plus, I freak Maxine out."

Mrs. Stone came up to them looking very unhappy, and a little bit messy, especially her hair.

Harry grunted, then turned to Mrs. Stone. "What happened to you?"

Hector looked at Mrs. Stone an eyebrow raised.

Mrs. Stone shot an embarrassing, but angry look. "I don't want to talk about it..." she mumbled, moodily.

"Women, huh?" Harry joked, pointing to Mrs, Stone, looking at Hector with a taunting smile.

Hector snorted and nodded agreeing.

Mrs. Stone whipped around and hissed at them, before going somewhere to sort herself out. She stalked off.

"We should leave her to sort herself out, grab the brat girl, and then bring her somewhere where we could hold her..." Hector said, quietly.

Harry laughed a little, knocking Mrs. Stone down lower than she already was. "How about my place?' he offered to the bargain.

"Sounds okay." Hector shrugged, not giving any higher praise than that.

"These burgers are great," Kevin told Lex, knowing he wasn't originally from Chicago. "Especially on a winter afternoon or day at the fair."

Max went to try a cheese fry and looked closely at it, like she were expecting something weird to happen. It was her first try eating one.

Suddenly, the telephone rang.

Lex looked at Kevin and then the phone.

Chelsea stood up. "Excuse me a moment..." she said and went to answer the phone.

"Okay, Chelsea." Kevin said, sipping some more cold juice for his throat.

Marv had a bite of his burger and after swallowing, grinned.

"Should I use a fork or my hands?" Max pondered her cheese fries just sitting there in its sealed container.

Lex grinned. "You eat with your fingers."

Marv nodded. He was really enjoying his burger.

"Oh, okay, seems messy, but I think I can manage." Max smiled, then went to dig in with her cheese fries.

"I never knew anyone who hadn't had cheese fries before." Kevin observed Max's habits.

Lex smiled, watching Max eat.

"Not bad." Max said as she munched another fry.

Lex gave Max a smile as did Marv. "Glad you like them."

Kevin smiled as he finished his lunch and yawned a little bit.

"It's like nachos... with fries." Max smirked, then went to bite into her burger.

Lex nodded toward Max's statement.

Chelsea went to answer the phone and answered it. "Hello?" she asked, holding the phone up to her ear.

"Sweetie, I just wanted to let you know I'll be home really late tonight, but your mother should be home in time for dinner." Peter said on the other line to his eldest daughter.

"Oh, okay, Daddy," Chelsea said, smiling. "Love you, Dad."

"Love you too, dear, make sure Kevin doesn't go outside, it could make him very sick." Peter added a little quickly and worriedly.

"I know, Dad," Chelsea told him, sounding slightly amused. "Bye, Dad." she said softly before hanging up.

"That's a good girl, see you at home." Peter smiled and hung up.

Chelsea came in and smiled. "That was Dad, he told me he won't be home til late, and not let you outside." she told everyone, the last bit only towards Kevin.

Marv nodded to the boy. "Wouldn't want you any sicker, little buddy."

"I'll feel better in no time." Kevin refused to seem weak among his disease.

"Do you need any groceries?" Max asked as she ate.

Chelsea smiled softly at her brother. She then looked at Max and clicked her fingers in acknowledgement. "Yeah, I'll go in a minute..." she said, she finished her burger, having started that first, then looked at her fries. "I'll eat them when I get back." she told her friends, and family.

Marv smiled at her.

"Not unless they're gone before you get back." Kevin teased, reaching for some fries with an eager smile.

Chelsea giggled and hugged Kevin.

"Okay, nap time, little dude." Max told him with a joking smile and laugh.

"Okay, squirt, go watch the alien that wants to go home." Chelsea said. She stood up to put her coat on.

"That's better." Kevin smiled.

Marv grinned and took Chelsea's fries. "I will protect your food, mi'lady!" he announced.

"Be careful, Chelsea, there might be slippery roads." Max advised as she finished her lunch.

Chelsea winked at Kevin, and then smiled at Marv and Max. "I'll be careful, and thank you, my knight." she said, before she grabbed her purse and headed out.

Marv smiled and put the fries safe.

Kevin smiled and looked back at his friends. He looked at Lex, feeling the glimpse on him. "Hey."

"Hey." Lex returned with a grin.

Harry and Hector had organized their plan to defeat Chelsea. Hector waited until she came out and shut the door, heading down the path, and then snuck up and grabbed her purse before running, knowing she'd chase him. Harry watched in the distance before finding a way to the local store now that he knew where she was going. One of the neighbor men was taking out the trash as Hector snatched Chelsea's purse.

Chelsea blinked for a second and then gave chase. "Hey, give me back my purse!" she yelled. She was quite a fast runner, even though her leg still ached a little from earlier. She didn't notice that Hector was leading her into a trap near the local store.

Harry took another way to the local store and got in before Chelsea could see him. He found a hiding spot and was ready to take care of Chelsea once and for all like in a bad hostage situation drama movie. Soon Hector dropped the purse outside the store as she came close. He had made sure she didn't properly see him.

Chelsea picked up her purse and went into the store. "Stupid homeless person..." she muttered.

"Are you okay, miss?" a young teenage girl asked, looking up as she noticed Chelsea walked inside.

Harry was hidden and he had his gun ready for the perfect hostage situation.

Chelsea looked at the girl and smiled. "I'm okay," she said, panting a little. "Some stupid person tried to steal my purse." she added, once again smiling and then looked around for the things she needed.

The girl smiled and went back to business.

Harry was ready to jump in on Chelsea and give her the surprise of a lifetime.

Hector peeked in, watching.

Chelsea picked up the honey and then headed to the fridges for the milk. She hummed to calm her breathing. She looked which kind of milk she should get. "This one..." she told herself under her breath. She reached out to open the fridge.

Harry was hit by the door, nearly knocked back and he tried to resist the pain.

Chelsea smiled and put the milk in her basket. She turned around to look for the candy aisle.

Harry came closer behind her and was ready to take her down. He made sure no one else was there and suddenly grabbed her by her neck and put the gun to her head. "Hello, little girl!"

Chelsea dropped the basket her eyes widening. "What..?" she gasped, her entire body stiffening.

Harry laughed darkly and put a gun to her head, causing a panic to the other store people. "You follow us, she dies!" he growled, pulling her to a hidden part of the store.

Chelsea looked at the people with wide eyes. She didn't think that dying would be good, so she didn't struggle much. Hector smirked outside of the store and went to meet Harry and Chelsea. Harry grunted and dragged her outside to meet with Hector.

Hector grinned at Harry and Chelsea, looking scary. "I see you've picked up a stray..." he told Harry, taunting Chelsea.

Chelsea narrowed her eyes. "You were the one who grabbed my purse..." she said in slow realization. She couldn't even use SINGing to escape with the gun held to her head.

"You're ours now." Harry grinned darkly.

Hector used the scarf he had to cover Chelsea's eyes and led back to Harry's place. "I even have their phone number..." he told the other man, smugly.

Chelsea whimpered slightly, the darkness that now covered her eyes heightened her other senses and she could feel the cold steel of the gun, in the shape of the bit pressed to her head.

"Phone's in the back." Harry told his new partner as they got Chelsea back to his place. "Aw, quit your squirmin'!"

Hector nodded and went to call the McCallisters'.

"L-Let me go a-and I'll c-consider it..." Chelsea said, trying to appear braver than what the stutter showed her as really feeling.

"How about no?" Harry scoffed in her ear, and squeezed her tighter. He then smirked and forced her in a chair, allowing Mrs. Stone to tie her up.

Mrs. Stone, who looked like herself again, had found some Stone tied her up quickly and in a way that she couldn't break out of. Chelsea, who still couldn't see quite yet, had squeaked uncomfortably as Harry had squeezed her and tried to tug the ropes, but found she could barely move in the restraints.

Harry darkly chuckled as he had Chelsea in his clutches. Hector nodded and went to call the McCallisters'. He dialed the number and walked in, as it were a really old-fashioned, big, cordless phone.


	6. Chapter 6

Max smiled around her and seemed to have been tired from her full belly. Marv took the plates that were empty into the kitchen.

"So, Lex, that's an interesting name." Kevin made conversation before they would watch the movie.

Lex grinned as Marv came in after washing the dishes. "I'm named after the owner of the Daily Planet."

"Oh." Kevin's eyes lit up at that name.

Max laughed a little and smiled at Lex.

"Lex Luther," the older boy said, as Luther was his last name. "Mom's idea of a joke... A cool one though."

"I like that movie." Marv grinned.

"I always thought Luther was your middle name?" Max spoke up with an amused smile.

Kevin laughed a little.

"Yeah." Lex nodded with a smile.

"You're my Spiderman." Max smiled at Lex, confusing her comic book characters.

"Wrong comic, Max." Kevin whispered to her.

"Batman?" Max asked, sheepishly.

"It's Superman, babe." Lex said with a smile.

"Oh, I never really read comic books." Max smiled sheepishly.

"That's okay, Max." Lex said.

Marv gave a smile and shook his head lightly.

Max smiled daintly. "Come on, let's watch the movie."

"Oh, yeah!" Kevin cheered, grabbing the video and rushing to the living room to put it on for all of them.

Lex put an arm around Max. Marv looked around a moment, an uncharacteristic frown on his face. He however settled down after a minute and looked at the TV screen.

"I wish I had a pet alien, that'd be really cool, I bet he could do my homework." Kevin said, waiting for the movie to start like the others.

"I used to have a pet alien, his name was Saix." Max followed up.

Kevin and the others looked at her.

Marv looked at her with wide eyes. "Really?" he asked with almost childlike curiosity.

"Yeah," Max curved her smile. "Only I could see and hear him though..."

Kevin smirked in amusement. He now understood that story and just decided to roll with it. He wasn't a little kid anymore that would find that unbelievably different and fantastic.

Lex chuckled and watched the film.

Marv smiled. "Wow..." he gasped like he had announced when he had looked up from the basement in New York.

Max watched in content of the movie, feeling worried and afraid for the little alien and hoped he would be alright. She had seen this movie before, but she was really young at the time and barely remembered it. Kevin watched the movie with just as the same awestruck and seat gripping of the movie. Lex smiled as he watched the movie. Marv still felt like something was wrong, though he couldn't place it.

Max giggled at the little girl in the movie. For some reason, she reminded her of herself when she was younger.

Kevin laughed a little at some funny parts, then turned to Marv. "You okay, Marv?"

Lex glanced over at Marv.

Marv nodded, slightly frowning though. "I feel like somethin's off," he said. "Dunno what though."

"You didn't eat your food too fast, did you?" Max asked, wondering if he was sick from the food.

Kevin also wondered what was up and hoped he wasn't sick or anything.

"It's not that..." Marv shook his head. Both his and Lex's head turned to look at the phone as it rang.

"Who could that be?" Kevin wondered.

"I'll get it," Max smiled, then went to the phone. "Hello?"

Hector's dark smile widened. "Hello, Maxine..." he started off by saying.

Lex looked at his loved one. Marv looked too, only he didn't love Max, he loved Chelsea.

Max let out a hiccup and gripped the phone nervously. "P-P-Please tell me you're not who I think you are..." she said, shakily and nervously.

Lex laughed at a funny scene with Kevin, but he noticed that how pale Max had gone. He stood up with a small excuse and went over to her. Marv decided to stay and watch the movie with Kevin, though he was concerned this call involved Chelsea, but got himself busy by imitating the ET finger thing. Kevin watched Lex leave, then continued to watch the movie with Marv.

"Oh, I'm afraid so, Maxine," Hector smirked. "I called, however, for a very special reason..."

"I'm not gonna work for you again," Max said, strictly, mostly because Lex was on her side and gave her confidence. "You want someone to give you good reviews because of good employees, then call someone else." She did well to hide her fear of her ex-boss who nearly made her Christmas job experience a living Hell.

Hector gave a smirk again and a short sharp evil laugh. "Oh, I don't want any of that, you see, me and my... Associates have something that is quite precious to all of you... A Miss... Chelsea McCallister?" he said, making it sound like he was asking if her name was right.

Chelsea knew that if she spoke or made any noise that she would be recognised, and she didn't want her friends in danger.

Lex looked at Max and put an arm around her.

"Chelsea!?" Max's voice squeaked in fright suddenly.

Harry laughed wickedly now that he had Chelsea to himself.

Marv grinned as he impressed Kevin, and then he looked at Max at her squeak of his future bride's name.

Kevin looked back too. "What's going on?"

"Oh, yes," Hector chuckled darkly. "Want to say hello?" he asked, forcing the phone to Chelsea's ear. "Say hello, dear..." he taunted/ordered.

Chelsea clenched her jaw, not wanting Max to know she was there as it could bring danger to them all.

Mrs. Stone, though she hated the girl admired her strength, but Chelsea needed to at least make a sound.

"Chelsea...? you okay...!?" Max cried, sounding deeply worried for her best friend.

Harry put the gun in the back of her head, nearly pulling the trigger. "TALK!"

Hector's eyes held an evil glint as he stared at Chelsea, holding the phone to her ear.

With a sniff, Chelsea answered. "M-Max... Th-They're h-holding me h-hostage." she shakily said, half through a sob.

Marv was worried in his eyes. He hoped Chelsea was okay. Lex heard it, being so close and he narrowed his eyes. It was low of anyone to scare a girl, and especially taking one hostage.

Max held the phone so they could all hear it. "Where are you?"

"I-I don't know... Th-They blindfolded m-me..." Chelsea informed them, still stuttering as silent tears streaked down her cheeks.

Marv, stiffened hearing how scared Chelsea sounded and got really mad that she was a hostage. Lex narrowed his eyes.

Hector smirked and pulled the phone away. "Oh, and there is someone else who wants to talk to you..." he said, handing the phone to Harry, so the bandit can make the demands.

"Hello, family and friends..." Harry greeted in an eerie tone.

Kevin gasped as he heard that voice. It reminded him of when he was in New York and back when Marv was a bandit, both bandits were right behind him about to nab him away from Chelsea.

"Oh, my gosh, Henry!" Max cried.

Harry grunted and rolled his eyes. "It's Harry!"

Hector leered at Chelsea, putting his finger to his lips. Chelsea quietly gave a sob but went quiet.

Marv looked surprised. "Harry!?" he asked, surprise coloring the tone of his voice.

Lex gave a tiny twitch of the lips of Max getting Harry's name wrong.

"Hey, Marv... It's me, your old pal..." Harry sounded sickly with his tone.

Max was angry and surprised about the situation. Kevin looked very aggressive and nearly snorted. Nobody messes with his big sister. Hector watched Harry, if things seemed to not be going their way he'd do something from his revenge list to get them to change their minds. Chelsea closed her eyes as the tears slipped down.

"You're not my pal..." Marv said, his voice angry then.

Lex was keeping a cool head, but was mad too.

"Now you know how it feels to lose a partner, Marv, you weren't the sharpest bulb in the drawer, but we were friends! Without me, you would be nothin'!" Harry taunted.

Chelsea opened her eyes, angry that Harry insulted Marv like that. Max shook her hands into fists, now wanting to punch both 'Henry' and Hector the very next time she would see them. Lex glanced at Marv, he would speak up to Harry himself in a moment. He squeezed Max's shoulders gently though.

Marv pointed his finger in the air, forgetting Harry couldn't see him. "I wouldn't be nuthin'!" he announced. "Now, let my future bride free!"

"Come back here and get here or the lady gets it." Harry told Marv and did a gesture to Hector to make him slap the damsel in distress.

Max admired Marv's strength and his willingness to help save Chelsea. She was a lucky girl, but she at least had Lex who probably would have done the same thing. Kevin rushed upstairs in a fury.

Hector raised his hand and swiftly and sharply struck Chelsea's cheek with the palm of his hand. With a cracking sound and a cry of pain, Chelsea's face turned in the direction that Hector had slapped her in. Marv's eyes widened at hearing the slap, recognising the sound, before his eyes narrowed.

Lex stepped in to speak a moment. "What do you want, Harry?" he asked, his voice hard as steel. "What are your terms?" And yes, he would passionate if Max was held hostage and would do anything to get her back.

Max resisted the urge to scream horrendous words to the men for holding her best friend in captivity. She was very angry and sad at the same time. She was sad that Chelsea was being tortured like this and angry that those men had the nerve to take her away and hold her as a victim.

"Bring Marv with ya and some precious valuables," Harry demanded. "If you don't, the girl's duck is cooked."

Hector laughed quietly, but darkly. Chelsea turned to look at him, a big pink hand print on her cheek.

"I thought it was goose..." Marv muttered.

Lex looked deceptively calm. "We can give you the valuables, but it is up to Marv if he gives himself..." he said.

"Fine, ya got an hour!" Harry told them.

'All the things I could do in an hour...' Hector thought with a smirk.

Chelsea looked up at Hector.

"Where are you though?" Max demanded. "Tell me where you are, you jerks!"

Lex, once again stated, deceptively calm, something. "How about we meet up in Michigan Lake Park?" he suggested.

"Michigan Lake Park?" Harry asked aloud, seeing if Hector would approve of that or not.

Hector shrugged, then nodded. "Say bye-bye to your friends and family..." he told Chelsea.

Chelsea whimpered, but did so. "S-See y-you all l-later..."

Marv clenched his own fists, hearing Chelsea shaky voice and whimper. Lex looked calm still, his hand rubbing soothing circles on Max's shoulder.

"Michigan Park it is, and don't forget the stuff and Marv or else Chelsea here will be one less sister for the kid to deal with." Harry told them, then was about to hang up the phone.

"WE'RE GONNA SAVE HER, YOU SON OF A-" Max yelled, then suddenly was hung up on and grew quiet like she usually was.

Hector chuckled, darkly. Chelsea narrowed her eyes at the laugh.

Lex took the phone gently from Max. "Okay, we need to get some kind of annoying powder..." he said, firstly.

Marv looked at Lex. He then went to check if Kevin was okay.

"Powder?" Max wondered what he meant by that.

Lex nodded. "Something to blind them a minute," he said. "Like mud to the eyes, but there's no mud about."

"I think a kid Kevin's age might have some itching powder." Max suggested with a shrug.

"Good, I'll ask him when he comes down." Lex said.

"I'm positive he does, a lot of kids his age have stuff like that." Max smiled, feeling a little more confident.

Lex smiled back at her and hugged her.

Max enjoyed the hug and patted his back. "I'm so lucky to have found and met you..."

Lex smiled slightly. "I'm glad that we met too, never had girls literally fall into my arms," he said quietly. He then turned serious. "We will save her." he then told her.

Max giggled a bit at that, then grew serious. "I've known her a long time. She was like the sister I never had. I even had to drop out of high school and we never saw each other again after that until around Christmas time and she came to the shop I was working in before I worked in New York."

"At least you got to meet again." Lex said with a smile.

"Yeah, I never thought I'd see her again after I heard she graduated from high school, but I had to drop-out to take care of my family." Max smiled back.

"You're a very sweet woman." Lex told her with a smile.

Max smiled and glanced upstairs, hoping Kevin wasn't depressed over the kidnapping of Chelsea.

"Remind me to ask Kevin when he comes down about the powder..." Lex said softly. He decided that once everything settled down again, he would ask Max to marry him.

Max nodded. "Right then."

Lex smiled.

Kevin was drawing a battle plan in his bed, outraged that his sister had been kidnapped by their worst enemies.

Marv looked at Kevin, coming over to the boy. "What ya doin', Kevin?"

Kevin turned his head. It looked as though his spots were slowly disappearing as he grew determined to help and save his sister. "Making a schematic. Back when you and Harry broke into the house, I had to make a plan, I even made one for when you tried to break into the toy store. I'm smarter than I look, before my family is history. And that's my worst subject, not including math."

Marv grinned. "Always thought you were one of the smartest kids I ever saw." he said.

"Sometimes it pays to be smart." Kevin smiled at him.

Marv grinned again, though it wasn't as bright as usual. Kevin kept drawing and he didn't seem to be itchy. It was as if his rage and his brotherly instincts were fighting over the disease. Marv watched the boy. He was so proud that he'd have a brother like Kevin.

"Do you have any possible ideas?" Kevin asked as he sketched out diagrams.

Marv looked up in thought. "Maybe do something to make them fall into the water." he suggested.

Kevin hummed, thinking of what to include in the plan. He made the sketches where there was a frozen pond. Maybe the baddies could walk onto it, it would crack and make them fall. Unless that seems too heartless.

"You should do it, the worst that could happen is they get bad colds." Marv said with a grin. His eyes were burning with anger though.

"It's best to humiliate the victims before they get arrested," Kevin chuckled, then noticed he did the same to Marv back when he was a bandit. "Oh, sorry about that..."

"Hey, it's okay, little buddy, I know you were just protecting your home and your family." Marv said.

"You have to admit, it was pretty funny." Kevin smirked at him.

"Yeah, it was, little buddy..." Marv said. He had to admit it was.

"I think I have it all planned out." Kevin shared his battle plan with Marv.

"Come on then," Marv said, still grinning. "Let's go and tell 'em, we're meeting those bad guys at Michigan Lake Park."

"I should get dressed." Kevin told his future brother-in-law.

"Oops... Yeah..." Marv said, sheepishly. He left Kevin to get dressed.

"Excuse me a moment." Kevin went to his drawers to collect some warm and comfortable clothes to finally get out of his pajamas. His spots were nearly all gone now. Kevin dressed up.

Marv was waiting outside the room, to give Kevin privacy.

Max came upstairs to check on things. "Poor, kid."

Marv looked at her and told her. "We have a plan sorted... Well, Kevin does."

"Oh, good... That kid's smarter than he looks," Max smiled. "Unlike his brother, who I tutored when he was in fifth grade... Worst three years of my life." She then smiled at Marv, very proud that Chelsea had someone like him, even though when they first met he was trying to kill her and Kevin.

"Which brother?" Marv asked her. He was happy to know that he had been accepted so readily, even considering his past.

"His name's Buzz, I'm sure you've seen him," Max explained. "I didn't know about Kevin until he was eight."

Marv grinned remembering the first time he saw Buzz. "I a-scared him..."

Max laughed a little at that, and turned once Kevin was dressed.

"I think I'm ready." Kevin stated, ready to save Chelsea.

Marv looked at Kevin and nodded.

Lex was finding a bag to carry the powder in. "Hey, do I use flour or does anyone have itching powder!?" he called, having found a bag.

"I hope it's still here..." Kevin said to himself to Lex's question and went to Buzz's bedroom. He had often snuck in there because of the things in it. He opened a sealed chest and took out a container of itching powder which looked like salt, but it was powder. He then went downstairs to alert Lex.

"Yep." Kevin handed the powder and placed it in the bag.

"Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I were the one in a nice house with a million brothers and sisters and Chelsea was the only child...?" Max pondered her and her best friend's lifestyles.

Marv shrugged. "But life makes us the way we are."

"That's true." Max nodded. She then came to the boys as they planned.

Lex grinned. "Now, we just need some rubbish things to make it seem like there are valuables there..."

"Mom has some fake jewelry from Grandma that she never really liked." Kevin suggested.

Marv followed downstairs.

Lex looked at them. He gave a smile and then looked at Kev. "That'll do..." he said, happily. He carefully emptied the itching powder into the bag first.

Kevin already knew that would be fine and took out a jewelry box from his grandmother. For some reason, she always sent Chelsea, Linnie, Megan, and Kate fake jewelry, but it should be just fine for their plans against one Wet Bandit and evil hotel employees.

"Chelsea and I used to play with these when we were kids, we'd make them treasure." Max took out a bag of gold coins that were actually plastic.

Lex looked at her, asking, "Are you sure you want to give them up?"

Marv grinned at Kevin and then gave Max a slightly hopeful and grateful look.

"I'll keep a few as childhood momentum, but feel free to take what you need." Max allowed.

Lex hugged Max gently. "Thank you so much..."

Marv watched all the stuff get put into the bag. "Maybe you could use a couple of old pots or cups to give it more bulk or weight" he suggested.

"Come on, Max, let's see if we can find any." Kevin said.

Max enjoyed the hug and went to work with Kevin. Lex put the stuff in the bag. Marv watched, getting more anxious as he looked at the time. Max and Kevin came back with some old Disneyland cups from vacations ages ago.

"How about this one?" Max showed one of the cups to Lex to see if it would seem valuable.

Lex looked at them, "They don't need to be valuable," he said. "When they catch this the powder will blind them for a minute at least..."

Max put the cups in the bag, completing their collection.

Marv smiled once the bag was then completely filled. "We should go and set up traps."

"Leave them to me." Kevin smiled.

Lex looked at everyone. "We need to go, we'll take my car."

"Shotgun!" Max called, then ran off, having the optimism of a child now.

"Darn." Kevin sighed.

Lex chuckled and handed Marv the bag carefully. He then got into the driver's side.

Marv looked at Kevin, walking with him to the car. "We can sit in the back, little buddy."

Kevin shrugged and sat in the back. "Don't worry, Chelsea, we're coming."

Max sat in the passenger seat and got hooked up, ready to go. Lex, seeing them all strapped in, drove quite fast to the park. Max looked out the window in caution. Kevin looked around him and really hoped Chelsea would be alright. Marv was planning to never let Chelsea out of his sight again, he couldn't risk losing her again like it almost felt like they had.

Kevin might have not gotten along with his other siblings well, but he knew what he had to do for Chelsea. He wasn't going to give up. He could've hid under his bed when he was left home alone the first time, he could have panicked once he and Chelsea ended up in New York, but no. He was brave and unlike a lot of children. Nothing was going to stop him from saving Chelsea, even if its the last time he does. Marv looked at Kevin and nodded seeing the determination on the boy's face.

Kevin looked back. "Those guys are gonna pay..."

"I hope they haven't killed her..." Max nearly cried, her voice was cracking from being choked up.

Lex had to concentrate on the road. Max breathed wheezily, wanting this day to be over already.

Lex soon had them to the park, with how fast he drove. Max looked around, she didn't see anyone and the hour was almost up. Lex looked at her. "With them not here yet we can help set up Kevin's traps..." he soothed her.

"Oh, good point." Max could think straight now that Lex was helping support her.

"Come on, we better hurry." Kevin told them.

Lex nodded and parked the car and came out to help them. Marv started to do as much as he could to help. Max did what she could to help and Kevin studied some new tricks up his sleeve. Harry was smart to be on track that Kevin tricked him and Marv like he did the Christmas before he pranked and humiliated them.

He hoped these would go as well as they did in his head. He felt slightly distracted once a school bus was passing by, but it didn't stop until it went to the neighborhood away from the park. Marv and Lex still continued helping before the bad guys would come.

"Almost done!" Kevin called as they were setting up. "There!"

"Kid, you should operate a fun house at the carnival." Max whispered, looking amazed at Kevin's abilities.

Marv grinned, holding the bag. "Good job, little buddy!"

Lex grinned and hugged Max. "Right when Marv throws the itching powder bag at them, I think you should call Chelsea from a safe distance away and help her there, so you both aren't in danger."

"Thanks so much for helping Lex." Max smiled at her soul mate.

"She's your best friend, Max, and I'd help you no matter what." Lex told her with a smile.

Kevin went to them and they all were clear on a plan. Marv was going to hang back just a little and then come forward when he needed to. He would throw the bag at them first and then would help get the bad guys into the traps. Marv looked the most serious he had ever been. He just wanted his future bride back in his arms. Kevin looked very serious too, for a kid in this kind of situation. He had really matured since he had ran into Harry and Marv for the first time.

Max took out one of the jewels to see how realistic it seemed. "Wow... This looks just like a real ruby... If only...I wish I could afford nice things..." Max smiled at the fake jewel and placed it back in the bag.

Lex looked at Max. "I'll buy you them, and a ring..." he said, hinting gently.

Lex took her left hand in his "I think... This finger..." he said, running his index finger lightly over her ring finger.

Max looked at her hand, looking at where Lex pointed out to her. "You want a ring, Lex?" Max was never good at guessing games.


	7. Chapter 7

"That little girl's got quite the strength." Harry laughed a little, he hadn't known Max, but she seemed pretty weak and defenseless based on what he heard.

Hector looked at Harry. "Can I have a couple of minutes?" he asked, his eyes flickering to the tied up Chelsea.

Chelsea didn't dare move as the gun was still to the back of her head, she paled though and her breathing was shallow.

Harry nodded, then went to hang up the phone. "Sure, pal, sure..." He deeply glared at Chelsea to scare her, then he chuckled as he left the former hotel concierge alone with their hostage.

Hector muttered something into Chelsea's ear as he set his plans in action. Chelsea's eyes widened and she let out small cries at the things he did. Harry smirked once he heard Chelsea cry in pain and fear. Mrs. Stone looked at Harry.

"What?" Harry caught her gaze.

"Nothing." Mrs. Stone stated with a shrug.

A minute or so later Hector came out and shook his hand out, checking his knuckles.

Harry rolled his eyes at the woman, then noticed something about Hector. "Geez, Mary Poppins, don't KILL the girl." Harry told him, poking fun at his British descent.

Mrs. Stone shook her head.

Hector looked at him. "That's your job." he said about the killing.

Chelsea was breathing heavily her hair curtaining her face.

"It's worth it." Harry grinned.

Hector smirked. "Well, she's free for whatever you plan to do now," he said. "I've paid her back." He went to wash his hands and to cool his knuckles down.

Chelsea sniffled slightly and clenched her fists gently.

"You got less than an hour to live." Harry told the damsel.

Chelsea lifted her head up and narrowed her eyes slightly. Her face was puffy and her lip was split. She glared, though her eyes showed the fear. "You will get your just rewards..." she warned him, wincing just slightly. She hoped he'd move his hand closer to her face, so she could bite him. No matter how scared she was, she wouldn't allow anyone to touch her again. "They won't let you get away with what you've done..." she whispered harshly.

Harry cupped her face in his hands, deeply scowling at her. "Hey, girl, I never made it to get married... Looks like you won't neither."

Chelsea gulped a little. But knowing they needed her alive to get the stuff, she quickly turned her head and bit one of his hands. "Don't touch me!" she hissed.

Harry grunted, keeping his grip on, then let go in pain as Chelsea bit him. "YOU LITTLE TWAT!"

Chelsea looked at him through narrowed eyes.

"Man, I should kill ya right now!" Harry grunted, rubbing his hand.

Chelsea looked at him. "You shouldn't have touched me..." she said, angrily. She tried to tug a hand free again.

"Aw, shuddap!" Harry spat at her.

Chelsea swallowed slightly. "Never..." She was watching carefully Harry's reaction.

Mrs. Stone smirked and looked up at Hector, almost shyly. "Looks like we're going to win this round for a change, sir."

Hector nodded to Mrs. Stone, smirking as well.

Mrs. Stone looked in the direction of the room Harry was in with Chelsea. "Will we ditch him?" she asked, quietly, so only Hector would hear.

Harry went to cool down his hand from the bite. It really stung more than it should have. Probably due to what happened to him for two Christmases. Chelsea started to fiercely tug at her wrists trying to get free, if she could then she could untie herself and run. Hector shrugged and looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow. Mrs. Stone watched Harry go to a sink. Harry felt a little relieved and relaxed once he cooled himself down. Chelsea whimpered as she tried to tug her hands free.

"What did she do this time?" Hector asked Harry.

"She bit me." Harry growled.

"Maybe you should bite her back or something?" Hector suggested. (A/N: This is a reference to Harry threatening to bite Kevin's fingers off in the movie)

Mrs. Stone raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe you should give me a little less yappin'." Harry grunted.

Chelsea managed to get one free, with a lot of effort and thanks to the perspiration on her arm and hand. She gave a small gasp of relief then went quiet.

Hector raised his eyebrows haughtily. "Only trying to help."

"I'm gonna bite that kid's fingers off once i see him." Harry grunted.

Hector snorted, amused.

Chelsea felt for a knot and tried to undo it. She growled as it was done up tight. She needed to get it undone before someone came back in. The girl heard someone coming in and moved her arm back into position.

Mrs. Stone came in, glaring at Chelsea before grabbing something and then leaving again. She came back, looking at the men.

Chelsea furiously tried to undo the knot. She managed to loosen it a little. She worked harder and undid the knot. Chelsea got out of them and started to undo her last tied arm.

"Should we get to the park now?" Harry asked, noticing the hour was almost up.

"Yes," Hector nodded. "We should make our way."

"Come with me." Harry decided to be in charge of directions since he's been in Chicago longer than Hector and Mrs. Stone. "So... Mrs. Stone... Where's Mr. Stone...?" he gave her a sly smirk.

Mrs. Stone sniffed, haughtily. "Back in New York."

Hector rolled his eyes, but looked annoyed that Harry was putting himself in charge.

Harry looked a little stubborn, then went to look at the time. "You guys wanna walk or ride?" he offered to drive his new 'friends'.

"We should probably drive, but who will sit with the brat?" Hector asked Harry.

Mrs. Stone looked between them.

"MY car, I drive." Harry growled, taking out the car keys.

Mrs. Stone saw the boys glaring at each other. "I'll sit with the girl, but one of you will need to tie her up properly, I don't want any of the blood from her lip on me." she said, waiting.

Hector smirked, thinking of what to do. "Maybe when we get there, a rope could be tied on her like a leash." he suggested.

Harry snorted, then turned to Chelsea. "Come on, girly, time to go for a ride in the park!" he teased in a nasty way.

Chelsea, looked up with as wide of eyes she could, as Harry came in. She froze just as the last rope came undone.

Harry chuckled a little. Hector followed Harry, along with Mrs. Stone. Chelsea grabbed the chair and stood up flinging it, aiming to distract not hurt. She then went to try escaping. Mrs. Stone, unperturbed by the chair, ran after Chelsea and tackled her, bringing them both down to the floor.

"No!" Chelsea exclaimed as she fell, under the weight of the taller, slightly heavier woman.

"Come on!" Harry called, sitting in the driver's seat and starting the car.

Hector had grabbed the now discarded rope and had used it to tie Chelsea's hands behind her back, and also tied her upper arms so she couldn't move them. He tied a rope around her neck with some for someone to hold like a leash. He then helped get her into the back before climbing into the front.

Mrs. Stone held the rope, knowing she wouldn't escape easily. She had also used a scarf to gag Chelsea so she couldn't shout out to anyone while in the car. Chelsea had silent tears down her face.

"All ready?" Harry asked before he would start driving.

Unfortunately for Hector, Harry wasn't that good a driver. Hector shouted each time Harry did something that could've killed them or just scared him. Mrs. Stone couldn't help but think that with the arguing it was quite funny. Chelsea was glad that at least they had seatbelts on, closing her eyes due to how scary the 'ride' was.

"Aw, shuddap, you pompous windbag!" Harry snapped at Hector, then snorted. "Wuss..."

"You start driving properly, you short stack of manure!" Hector growled.

Mrs. Stone, if she didn't value her life, would have mentioned that the argument sounded like an old married couple's. Chelsea didn't dare open her eyes.

"If i wasn't drivin' right now, I'd give you a mouthful of fist!" Harry growled.

Hector looked as they reached the park. Mrs. Stone looked at Chelsea critically, glaring at the girl triumphantly. Chelsea opened her eyes once they stopped. She wondered what would happen now.

"There!" Harry slammed the brakes, making Hector slam onto the dashboard, squeezed against the wind shield. "Quit foolin' around, let's get movin'!" he got out of the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, unlocking the doors for them to get out.

Hector wheezed, but got himself out.

Mrs. Stone got out and tugged Chelsea out of the car. She then looked between the men. "Who's going to hold the girl?" she asked.

Chelsea stumbled as she was pulled but luckily didn't fall. Her eyes narrowed at Mrs Stone.

"Oh, I will." Harry rolled his eyes, then gripped Chelsea's arm.

"Look guys, it's the losers of today's battle." Kevin taunted their incoming enemies.

Mrs. Stone glared at Kevin, hearing his taunt. Hector, who was still slightly wheezing, managed to get out a growl. Chelsea looked at her friends in relief but her face still managed to show her fear too.

Lex looked at Max. "I'll explain later..." he told her quietly and let her go so she could run to the safe spot when it was time.

Marv saw the state of Chelsea and his eyes narrowed. How dare they do that to her!

Max looked at her fingers, then went to another spot, folding her arms. "You two don't scare me anymore." she seethed at Mrs. Stone and Hector, feeling sure of herself.

Mrs. Stone glared at her.

Hector, getting his breath back, growled again. "Oh, but you should be..."

Harry chuckled and went up to Marv. "Now you know how it feels the only one you can trust, understand and relate to, huh, buddy?"

Kevin glared at his sister being held hostage.

Marv glared at Harry. "You didn't have to stay on the bad side, we could-a still been friends if you turned good too." he told him. He'd probably only be able to blind Harry temporarily as he was the only one close enough to do it.

"Goodness is for weenies and you know it!" Harry scoffed at his ex-best friend.

Chelsea's eyes flickered between Marv's and Kevin's faces. After all they were the ones slightly closer to her than her best friend and Lex. Kevin gave Chelsea a brave face to assure her it was all going to be okay soon. Chelsea gave a tiny nod to Kevin though she was still worried, not for herself but for all of them. (not the baddies) Kevin nodded back, then kept his eyes forward.

"You couldn't scare my great-aunt out of her grave." Max taunted. "Let go of my best friend, JOHN..." she gritted through her teeth, bringing up his first name suddenly and a little dramatically like a soap opera reveal.

Hector glared at Maxine, he never liked his first name, choosing to go by his last name instead. Mrs. Stone looked at Hector, blinking.

"How's that feel?" Max poked him over and over just to annoy him. "Huh? Do you? Huh? Maxine can fight too... How you like that, pretty boy?"

Hector had had enough by her poking and harshly pushed her away.

Max flopped back and landed on her bottom. She then got up, dusted herself, kicked Hector in his shin and went back to her group, folding her arms with a cross, firm look on her face. "Never call me Maxine..." she growled under her breath.

Hector yelled in pain and hopped on his good leg holding his shin. Mrs. Stone rolled her eyes.

"Gosh, I hate that man, he wasn't so bad when I dated him to get my job." Max growled under her breath about Hector.

"You got what I want?" Harry demanded, seeing the bag.

"Yes..." Marv said, then quickly warned Chelsea to close her eyes as he threw a bag at Harry as it was set to burst when it was caught.

Chelsea quickly shut her eyes.

Lex glared at Hector for daring to push Max.

"Well, hand it over!" Harry demanded.

Kevin rushed closer to his friends and went to protect his eyes. Marv threw the bag at Harry, so it would burst over him. Kevin went with Lex, Marv, and Max to get to a better distance as the bag missed Harry and busted open on the ground, making a thick cloud of powder hit their eyes. Except for Chelsea's. Hector and Mrs. Stone gave startled cries and then tried to wipe the powder out of their eyes.

Chelsea had to stand with her eyes closed, any bit of skin not covered in clothes started to itch a bit though, but she could deal with it. Marv and the other three were a safe distance away from the cloud of itching powder. They just needed to wait for Harry to let Chelsea go and they would call her over to them.

Harry grunted and uttered out some words that sounded like half swears and dropped down to his knees. He then suddenly started to scratch, "MY EYES BURN AND I'M ITCHY, WHAT GIVES!?"

Max clung onto Lex for safety as the baddies were getting their just desserts of what they deserved. Lex hugged Max gently. Kevin laughed a little at their misfortune.

"Itching Powder!" Hector exclaimed, recognizing it from the feel of the itching.

Marv saw Chelsea was let go. "Chels!" he called.

Chelsea started to walk in the direction she heard Marv's voice from, her eyes still closed.

"WAAGH!" Harry grunted and started to scratch himself.

"Marco!" Max called to let Chelsea follow without seeing anything.

"Marco!" Kevin added in it, getting where Max was getting at.

Chelsea was following their voices, knowing that she didn't need to shout Polo, she couldn't have anyway. She was amused though, even with her hands tied. The itching started but she persevered. Marv was also calling but he was saying her name. When she was close enough he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her.

Lex smiled once she was safe. "Max while they're blinded by the powder i want you to take Chelsea and go over to a safer place..." he told her gently.

Max nodded and took Chelsea's hand to take her somewhere else to hide. Kevin was so happy and thrilled to see his oldest sibling again, he wanted to hug her and pat her on the back, but that would probably have to wait. Chelsea ran with Max to guide her, recognising the gentle grip of her best friend. She would have to wait to speak until her mouth was uncovered and her ropes undone.

Marv watched waiting for them to figure out washing off so they could lead the 'itchy ones' into the traps. Lex smiled as Max and Chelsea went somewhere safer.

Hector was also scratching madly. "We need to get it washed off somehow!"

Mrs. Stone was also wailing as she scratched, though not as loud as actual wails.

"STOP WHININ', IT ONLY MAKES IT WORSE!" Harry roared from his stinging eyes in pain and scratched himself frantically.

Hector fell to his knees and desperately grabbed some snow to at least wash his face off. Mrs. Stone struggled to become quiet.

Max looked around and took her to a far side of the pranked house. She then did what she could to help Chelsea, untying her and taking the scarf out of her mouth and allowing her to safely open her eyes. Chelsea used the clean part of the scarf to wipe her eyes clear. She opened them and looked at Max and looked lost between hugging her -and accidentally covering her in the powder- and just smiling. She took off the 'leash' anyway.

Hector had cleared his eyes and did the same to help Mrs Stone and Harry. Mrs. Stone thanked her ex-co-worker. Marv waited for Kevin's signal. Lex glared mostly at Hector, as he (Hector) was the one who scared his (Lex's) girlfriend.

Harry blinked a few times, then got angry. He looked around for the guys and couldn't find them anywhere. "WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"We're in this house, you morons!" Kevin taunted, in a hidden location to trick them into going in the house.

"Come and get us!" Both Lex and Marv added.

Hector got up and scratched angrily.

"Come on!" Harry growled, then ran with them to the house.

Hector and Mrs. Stone followed him. Angry at them.

Marv and Lex grinned as they came into the trapped house.

Max shook off the itchy and scratchy battle implanted in her clothes and held Chelsea's face gently. "I'm so glad you're safe now..."

Chelsea looked at Max. "Thank you for helping to save me..." she said softly, almost shyly.

Max smiled and patted her head. She then heard the baddies coming and hid with Chelsea to protect each other. Chelsea hugged Max as the baddies went past. Max watched from the window and helped Chelsea get back on her feet. Chelsea looked at Max and bit her lip, wincing, as she forgot about the little cut in it.

"You okay?" Max whispered in concern, seeing the bruises a little closely. "What did those jerks do?"

Chelsea swallowed a little. "It was Hector... He thought he'd get me back for the slaps that me and Mom gave him... And the punch..." she said, quietly, missing out one thing he did, though that thing wasn't physical.

"Jerk..." Max growled and held Chelsea close. Though Chelsea was a little bit older than Max, she was playing protective girl now.

Chelsea closed her eyes after a brief second of becoming stiff, before relaxing.

"It's going to be alright." Max whispered to Chelsea with assurance.

Chelsea nodded. "I know..." she said in whisper.

Kevin quickly put some of the fake rubies in a trap, then hid away with the older guys.

Harry rushed in and looked around. "Where are ya?"

Hector looked around and then looked down at Mrs. Stone.

Mrs. Stone tugged on both guys' sleeves. "Hey, look, rubies..." she whispered to both of them.

"JACKPOT!" Harry yelled, then went for them. "I got dibs on the biggest ones!"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Hector shouted, following.

Mrs. Stone didn't care how much of them she got as long as she got more than one.

"Life ain't fair!" harry snapped at him, ready to collect the jewels, suddenly, a rope tied on his ankle and held him upside down. "AAUGH!" he dropped one of the rubies in his clutches and they broke. "IT'S FAKE!"

Hector growled and turned around. "Where are you!?" he yelled.

Marv chuckled quietly.

Mrs. Stone went to try and help Harry down.

"Hurry up, woman!" Harry demanded sharply.

Kevin put the last bit of oil on the stairs with Lex and Marv on his sides. "Come and get us!" he yelled, then hid the oil container.

Hector went to run up the stairs, getting up a couple but then slipped and fell down again. Marv grinned down at Kevin.

Lex smiled at the younger boy. "Good job, Kev." he said.

Kevin laughed a bit, then went in one hallway. "Thanks!"

Marv pulled Kevin aside. Lex took the other hiding spot. Kevin put his hand on a switch he put in and waited for Mrs. Stone to reach the top of the stairs. She and Hector were really getting a taste of what happened to the bandits when they would break into the house while only she and Hector made Kevin and Chelsea's hotel experience a real nightmare outside the endless luxury they had with Peter's credit card.

Hector went to run up the stairs, getting up a couple but then slipped and fell down again.

Harry managed to get free and glared at Hector. "Get up there!" he then climbed up the stairs, only to slip himself down the stairs.

Hector groaned.

Mrs. Stone used them to get upstairs, climbing on them.

"Hurry, at the park, they're holding a child hostage and have beaten a poor woman." Max added to the police before they told her they would be on the way.

Chelsea pressed her sleeve to her lip. She offered a small smile though.

Max hung up as the police were on their way and she smiled at Chelsea. "We're in good hands now."

Chelsea nodded looking relieved, though there was a bit of hidden worry there.

Hector looked up the stairs glaring at Mrs. Stone. She reached the top of the stairs and looked around. Kevin pulled a switch, which made a net with a bunch of water balloons fall down on her. Harry watched the impact and snickered that he and Hector didn't make it upstairs because of what was happening. Mrs. Stone wanted the victims to fall, but it seemed as though this was too humiliating to get through. Was Chicago really worth it?

Mrs. Stone gasped as she was soaked standing stock still. Hector got up and smirked from the bottom of the stairs. Marv snickered himself. Lex grinned. Kevin chuckled a bit while they hid. Harry chuckled a bit once he got to stairs. Unfortunately for him, after he made it to the top, he stepped back on a random banana peel and fell back down the stairs, squashing Hector. Hector growled and tried to get the slightly chunkier man off him.

"Get up, ya lazy!" Harry rolled off, trying to dust himself clean.

Hector groaned again and got up. "Right, I'm getting out of the house!" he yelled angrily.

"What about the kid and those rats?!" Harry nearly growled.

Hector glared back at Harry. "I don't care, they can't stay in there forever, and I don't fancy being hurt anymore in this place!" he shouted.

"You're a wuss, you know that?" Harry hissed a bit.

Mrs. Stone heard Kevin's chuckle and went to follow it to its source. Kevin stepped back and went with the guys to get away and set off another trap plan against the vile woman. Mrs. Stone came to where the chuckle had come from. She entered a room she thought they were in, but got pelted with glue and some feathers.

Marv smiled, that was funny.

Mrs. Stone ran out of the house not wanting to be pranked anymore.

The men didn't know it, but they were being stuck with honey and suddenly some bees came, even though it was winter when bees usually came out in spring or summertime. Hector let out a yell and started to run towards the lake, knowing water was the only way to stop the bees. Harry screamed and ran from the bees too.

"So, does this traps against the bad guys happen all the time?" Max asked, making conversation, smiling back at Chelsea and hoped the police would make it over on time.

Chelsea nodded. "Yeah, Kevin and I usually worked together to protect our home and stop innocent kids from getting ripped off." she said, softly.

"You've led an interesting life, Chelsea McCallister." Max smirked, folding her arms. "Nothing interesting happens to me... Except until Lex and I bumped into each other..."

"Wasn't meeting me interesting?" Chelsea giggled, softly. She asked, pretending she was upset about it, but deep down, due to what she had been told, actually feeling a sense of doubt though she shouldn't.

"Oh, I didn't mean that in a bad way..." Max smiled apologetically, noticing the question. She had a hard time understanding sarcasm and teasing.

"Max, I was joking," Chelsea told her friend gently. "I know us meeting was one of the best days for both of us..." She was rather tired and felt like she could sleep for a week if her face hadn't been itching.

"If I were Marv, I'd give you a little soak in the tub for a while," Max smiled at her. "Don't worry, it'll all be over soon, I promise."

Chelsea blinked and her mouth opened in surprise, the slight upwards curve of her mouth showed amusement.

Hector let out a yell and started to run towards the lake, knowing water was the only way to stop the bees. Harry screamed and ran from the bees too. The baddies were all headed to the lake while it was frozen some with cracks and icy water. They all went in to wash off, avoid the bees, and end the suffering. That was when the police officers showed up to take them all away to where they belong.

Kevin laughed a bit and did a secret handshake with Lex in victory. Lex grinned as they hand shook.

Marv grinned looking out the window. "They're headed to the lake..." he said.

Kevin looked out and laughed a bit. He then gasped a little as he saw his mother's car driving near to their home. "We gotta beat Mom and Dad home!"

Lex nodded and then they all managed to get downstairs. "Max! Chelsea!" he shouted.

"Lex!" Max called back, trying not to be too loud around Chelsea to hurt her ears.

Marv had made sure Kevin was downstairs safely and had even picked him up so they'd be quicker. "We have to get back to yours quicker!"

"I know a shortcut." Kevin said as they left the house.

Chelsea, along with Max, went out of the house with the guys. Marv put Kevin down and then helped support Chelsea out.

Lex looked at Kevin as they went to the car. "Okay, this way Max, I need Kevin in the front of the car to give directions." he told the girl gently, holding her hand.

"Okay I should be fine on the way back." Max smiled at Lex, then went to help Marv with Chelsea as she was weak.

Kevin sat next to Lex and fastened his seat belt. Lex started the car once they were all buckled in and set to go. Marv held Chelsea's other hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb as they drove, following Kevin's shortcut.

Chelsea held Max's hand as they sat in the back, leaning against Marv's arm. "Thank you for coming to save me guys..." she murmured.

"Hey, no worries, you know I'd do anything for you." Max smiled, trying to keep her strong.

Marv squeezed Chelsea's hands gently. "We all love ya, Chels, if different ways a-course..." he said. After all, he was in love with her, Kev had family love for her, and Max and Lex loved her in a friendship way.

Lex started the car once they were all buckled in and set to go. Marv held Chelsea's other hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb as they drove, following Kevin's shortcut.

Hector looked like the rat he was, though it was like a drowned rat. He was shivering and glaring at Harry. "Y-you g-gave u-us b-bad l-luck..." he growled, stuttering due to the shiver and the cold.

Mrs. Stone shivered and looked miserable, some of the feathers still stuck to her clothes and hair.

"S-S-Shut up, ya n-n-ninny!" Harry growled at Hector, still shivering.

"Separate cells?" one cop asked the other as they escorted Mrs. Stone, Hector, and Harry away.

"Separate cells." the other nodded, annoyed with the arguing.

Hector yelled back that he wasn't a ninny.

Mrs. Stone growled shakily at the pair. "Sh-Sh-Shut i-it, th-the both of y-you!" she told them, harshly.

The cops rolled their eyes and shoved the three bad guys in the backseat to get going to prison where they would spend their 'Happy Holidays'. Hopefully for good this time.

Kevin looked before him to make sure they would get home before Kate and Peter. "Basically, right now, go backwards the way we came." he instructed while he noticed Peter's car was caught up with the police cars to take away Mrs. Stone, Hector, and Harry forever.

Peter felt stumped on the way home, and started to call his wife, seeing as he probably wouldn't beat her home.

"Hello?" Kate asked, stuck at a traffic light as she answered her phone.

"Hey, I'm gonna be home a little late, there's some crime scene investigation going on or something blocking my path." Peter answered back, feeling stuck.

Kate gave a tiny sigh. "Okay, Peter, I'm on my way home now, just stuck at the traffic lights until they change..." she said.

"Dang, love you, hopefully we'll be back for dinner to still be on." Peter joked about the tardiness of them getting home.

Kate laughed slightly. "Love you too, I have to go through, the lights have just changed," she said as she started the car off to drive again. "See you later." she told him.

Peter gave his goodbye and honked his horn at the cops, gripping the steering wheel.

Kevin kept telling Lex how to get home shortly and they had a lot better luck now than his and Chelsea's parents. Max smiled at Chelsea and glanced out the window to see this 'mysterious way to get home'. When they got back to the McCallistair house Marv lifted the slightly sleepy Chelsea out of the car and smiled down at her, though he was still mad with what Harry, Hector and Mrs. Stone had done to her.

Kevin quickly went to his bedroom, thanking the adults for this adventure today and got into his pajamas to bed while the school bus was passing by the McCallister house since Kevin had been absent for the day and now Winter Break can really start.

Lex got out of the car and opened the door for Max. "When we get in, can I talk to you a moment alone?" he asked her.

"Think you can handle her?" Max turned to Marv as he was about to help her to her bedroom.

Chelsea gave a tiny sleepy smile.

Marv held her a little tighter, but gently. "Yeah, I can." he said, smiling, taking Chelsea up to her bedroom, before grabbing a cloth to wash off her face gently.

Kevin smiled as he watched Marv taking care of Chelsea. Maybe he would be a fine addition to the family after all. It looked like things were finally looking up for him and Chelsea.

Chelsea winced slightly as the cloth brushed her sore lip and bruises but knew that the pain couldn't be helped, plus she knew Marv was being as gentle as possible. "I love you Marv..." she said, softly.

Marv smiled down at her, after washing her face, "I love you too Chels, i'm going to be the best husband i can be and i'm never gonna let anyone hurt you, or Kevin, again." he said.

Chelsea smiled sleepily. "I know..." she said softly, before she drifted off to sleep.

Marv smiled and then tucked her in before going back down to the ground floor.

Chelsea sighed softly in her sleep, smiling.

Kevin laid in his bed and got all tucked in, to get some sleep, whether pretend or not, today was very exhausting for him. He smiled as he slept.

Lex looked at Max when they were alone. "Max, you know i love you right?" he asked his voice soft.

"Of course, and I love you." Max looked back at him with her eyes shining and a small smile growing on her face.

Lex smiled softly at her. "I know I don't have a ring yet, and I know it would be better with a ring, plus forgive me, but...Maxine Hughes," he got down on one knee. "Will you do the honor of being my wife?"

"Y-Y-Your w-w-wife?" Max couldn't believe her ears. She was so surprised and a little nervous. She really loved Lex, but she just didn't know what to say. Would she be able to keep Lex happy to support them both? "I-I-I... L-L-Lex...I.. l-love..." she was very awestruck by everything that had happened to her and now this. She looked back down at him with a blushing smile and started to cry from the extreme happiness.

Lex smiled at her lovingly. He could see that the tears were happy ones because of the smile. "Is that a yes?" he asked her.

Max smiled and wiped one of her eyes. "Of course..." she nodded, looking like a glowing bride now. "Yes, Lex, I will..."

Marv came down to witness what Max had just said, just as Kate did. Both wore similar looks of shock though one was happier -Marv's- and the other was just shocked. Lex gave a whoop, quieter than normal as he knew Kevin and Chelsea would be sleeping, and stood up picking Max up and spinning in a circle with her.

Max giggled quietly from the circle and smiled as she was placed on the floor. "Oh, Lex, you made me happier that I've ever been in my entire life..."

Marv grinned, and waited to go to them and fully congratulate the also new couple.

Lex smiled at Max. "You always brighten my day, everyday." he told Max.

Kate looked up at the house as she came up to it. She parked in the driveway next to Lex's car. "I better remind Lex to move his car so Peter can park..." she told herself. She sorted her stuff into her handbag and then got out of the car, locking it. She then went into the house.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO US! WE WILL BE BACK!" Harry's voice yelled from a passing police car from the house.

Kate watched a moment longer then had to draw their attention and so gently cleared her throat.

Marv grinned and Lex looked at Kate after she cleared her throat.

Max smiled back and turned back to Kate. "Oh, hello, Mrs. McCallister, how was your day?"

Kate looked at them, smiling slightly, though it was a little stressed from her day. "It was okay, but stressful...Where's Chelsea and Kevin?" she asked, not hearing her youngest or eldest child.

Max smiled sheepishly at Lex, then looked back at her best friend's mother. "We all had an exhausting day looking after Kevin. They're both sleeping, Kevin's getting some more rest and Chelsea's taking a power nap. She probably needs some time off her feet playing mother to her little brother..." Max tried to cover up. She didn't want Kate to know too much of the truth. After all, with Harry being involved in this mess, Kate might go off and blame Marv since he had known Harry a long time. Not to mention the wicked hotel staff.

Marv nodded, though he wondered how they were all going to explain the bruises and the cut on Chelsea's lip. Lex nodded to agree with Max.

Kate looked between them all and shrugged with a smile. "Well, Peter is on his way home, do you mind moving your car, please Lex?" she asked him.

"Could you?" Max asked her boyfriend.

"Well, I could..." he said, winking to both to show he would and was only joking about pretending not to. He got out his keys. "Stay in and keep warm, Max, I won't be a minute." he said, hugging her before heading to move his car.

Max smiled and felt warm from the hug already. "Be careful, its a bit slippery."

Kate chuckled and smiled, shaking her head. "Now, what shall we have for dinner?" she asked, knowing the other kids would be home soon.

Max then looked back at Kate, then looked distressed as she heard Chelsea utter a cry of pain. "Oh, my!"

Marv looked upstairs worriedly and went up to check. Kate watched Marv go, she smiled though it had a bit of worry in.

"Chelsea...?" Kevin came out of his room, weakly, pretending to be a little sluggish. Kevin slept a little and turned on his side as he heard a gentle knock and the door opening. "Hey, Mom..." he said, weakly.

Kate came in and smiled softly at Kevin. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked him, coming over to check him over.

Kevin woke up slowly and sluggishly. "Mom, is that you?" he sat up to show his chicken pox spots were all gone now.

Kate placed her hand against his forehead and then looked to check for any spots. "Well, the bed rest seems to have done you good, sweetheart." she said, smiling gently.

"No more spots?" Kevin asked with a smile.

"Yes," Kate agreed with a smile. "No more spots..."

Kevin sat up and smiled. "Do I still have to shovel for Mrs. Hess?"

Kate looked at him. "Probably best to, but wrap up warm." she said, knowing Kevin would be in trouble with Mrs. Hess if he didn't.

Kevin nodded. "Excuse me, Mom, I need some privacy."

Kate nodded and stroked his hair before heading out of his room, shutting the door behind her.

Kevin smiled at his mother, then let out a sigh of relief. "And that's how you do it..." he said, seemingly to no one, and smiled, resting his hands behind his head Ferris Bueller style. He then decided to quickly get dressed so he could shovel for Mrs. Hess like promised to do after school. At least now he could officially start his winter break and hopefully never see Harry or those members of the hotel again.

Kate, meanwhile had gone back downstairs and was planning what they could have for dinner. The kids would be back later that evening.

Chelsea was half out of bed, her legs tangled in the cover that Marv had covered her in. "Well, hello floor, nice to meet you again, you just had to ask if you wanted a hug!" she half yelled, muffled by the floor.

Marv helped her up off the floor.

Max rushed up the stairs to take a look at Chelsea. "Dude, are you okay?"

Chelsea's lip was cut open again and a trickle of blood came from her nose. "Oh, the floor just wanted a hug..." she huffed, glaring at the floor.

"Oh, my gosh..." Max's face paled suddenly and she looked dizzy. "Chelsea... You're buh...bl...baa..." she then suddenly fainted in the middle of the floor.

Kate came up to check on Kevin and then Chelsea. Lex came back in and looked around. He then looked up the stairway and shrugged. He'd wait.

Chelsea saw Max faint. "Oh, no..." she said, grabbing something to cover the bleeding. "Can you get some water please, Marv?" she asked him as he set her down. She went over to Max and tested her pulse.

Marv nodded and went downstairs to the bathroom to grab some water. Lex heard the thud and went upstairs. He saw Max had fainted and came over to her gently tapping her cheek.

Max muttered a little, but she wasn't dead. She then slowly opened her eyes, looking a bit paler than Chelsea. "S-Sorry... I don't like blood..."

Chelsea looked at her. "Sorry, Max, I didn't realize..." she said softly. She didn't realize she was bleeding though either.

Marv came up with the glass of water and gave it to Max. "Here." he said.

"It's okay..." Max smiled gently at her friend and shakily took the glass of water. "I thought I'd be over it by now..." she gently drank.

"It doesn't matter," Chelsea said softly. "I'll just have to be careful."

Marv looked between them. "Should we go downstairs?" he asked.

Lex was concentrating on making sure Max was okay.

Max's eyes suddenly went back in place where they belonged instead of one looking up and the other looking down. "I don't mind either way."

Chelsea smiled softly, though it was only her eyes that showed it. Marv went to help Chelsea.

Lex helped Max up gently. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

"I'll be fine, I just need to sit down for a minute." Max said, gently, assuring the guys she was just fine.

"You and Lex go down," Chelsea looked at Max, smiling softly. "We'll follow after I get my face washed up."

Marv put an arm around Chelsea's waist and helped her to the bathroom.

Lex lifted Max up bridal style and carried her downstairs, smiling and ignoring any protests if she would make them.

"See you later..." Max told Chelsea wearily.

Chelsea looked at Marv. "Help me to the bathroom?" she asked him. Chelsea stuck a hand out of the bathroom door after Marv helped her in and waved a moment.

Marv was by the door and waved. "See you in a minute." he said.

Lex carried Max down into the living room.

"You're so sweet... You're like a knight in shining armor out of a crowd of dudes in rusting tin foil." Max smiled delicately at Lex as he carried her.

Peter finally came home. "I'm home! You won't believe the streets, the roads were loaded with police cars taking away a bunch of lousy bums!"

Kate looked at the entrance from the kitchen. "Well, at least they were sorted." she said.

Kevin got dressed and glanced out the window to Mrs. Hess. "Maybe she's just lonely like that pigeon lady in New York..." he said to himself as he went downstairs to go next door.

Lex smiled at Max and nodded to Kevin.

"What about a pigeon lady?" Max had heard that, turning her head to him.

Kevin looked at her. "Chelsea and I met this homeless lady with a bunch of pigeons after Mr. Hector ran us out of the hotel. She was really nice, I think Mrs. Hess is just lonely and needs a friend like her. I'll see you guys later." he went out the door.

Chelsea came back down with Marv. Her face didn't have blood on it anymore. Marv had his arm around her waist.

Max couldn't help but hum about the mentioned lady the boy was talking about.


	8. Chapter 8

Lex smiled at Max and nodded to Kevin. Chelsea came back down with Marv. Her face didn't have blood on it anymore. Marv had his arm around her waist.

Kate looked at the entrance from the kitchen. "Well, at least they were sorted." she said.

Max looked up to see Chelsea and Marv coming. "You gonna be okay, Chels?"

Kevin looked up too, smiling a bit.

"Yeah, I'll be okay..." she said softly.

Marv still was supporting her. Kate looked at Peter with a smile. Max was still curious of how Chelsea and Kevin knew the pigeon lady and the others couldn't help but wonder what the girl's connection was to the homeless lady back in New York City. Chelsea got some frozen peas and after wrapping it up in a towel pressed the ice pack to her nose.

"You're so brave, I wish I could be like you sometimes." Max said to her best friend.

Chelsea glanced at her friend. "It may seem I'm brave... That's just a front sometimes." she said softly.

Max chuckled a little. "That brother of yours Kevin is smarter than he looks for a fourth grader. I bet in a few years from now, he'll be working for the FBI."

Chelsea chuckled. "I'd support whatever he does." she informed.

"That's good of you," Max smiled small. "You're so lucky, Chels, I wish I could have brothers and sisters..."

"You're an honorary sister, Max." Chelsea smiled.

"Oh?" Max felt warm and fuzzy inside as her eyes sparkled like whenever Lex would compliment her or give her a song on his guitar.

Chelsea nodded, then smirked. "Just don't eat mine and Kevin's cheesy pizza." she joked.

Max laughed a bit. "Yes, sir!" She playfully saluted.

Chelsea laughed.

Kevin came back from shoveling at Mrs. Hess's place. "That wasn't so bad..."

"At least you're on vacation now." Max reminded him, smiling.

Chelsea looked at her brother, grinning. "Kev, peas are finally good for something." she told him.

Kevin saw this and smiled that she was going to get better and laughed at what she said. "I'd use broccoli and put that into good use too."

Max rolled her ocean blue eyes slightly, but smiled.

"Nah, broccoli is evil." Chelsea told him, winking her good eye.

"But broccoli makes you big and strong like a superhero!" Max proclaimed playfully.

"It's a lie, like the cake!" Kevin added, playing along, even if he felt he was too old for these kinds of games, but had fun with Max and Chelsea regardless.

Chelsea gasped. "The cake is a lie?!" She asked, playfully acting like she was majorly upset.

Max laughed out loud then, putting her hand on her mouth.

"Am I missing something?" Marv came in with a drink for Chelsea.

"Just a couple of silly girls." Kevin said, looking up at him.

"The cake is a lie!" Chelsea exclaims, voice obviously playfully upset.

"Oh, no!" Marv saw this was a joke and playfully called back to them.

"They are so weird..." Megan commented as she saw her youngest sibling and oldest sibling with Max and Marv.

"Yeah, really." Linnie nodded in agreement.

Chelsea instantly sobered when they came in. She turned to hide her face from them. Marv sat closer next to Chelsea as Max glanced at her friend's sisters who she rarely heard of or ever saw. After all, they were very young when Max would come over all the time before her parents got very poor and she had to drop out of school to support her family. Megan and Linnie passed by and just went to get something they needed out of the room and just left, seeming to purposely run into Kevin, knocking him over.

"Hey!" Kevin yelled.

"Hey yourself." Megan scoffed.

Chelsea ignored, not wanting to show them. She turned and went up to her siblings. "Don't bump into Kevin!" She growls, dropping the ice pack.

Megan and Linnie blinked, a little scared of their older sister. "Sorry..." they murmured.

"To your brother." Max prompted them.

The two McCallister girls turned to Kevin. "Sorry!"

Kevin smiled, he was always glad to have Chelsea stick up for him at times like that. Marv stood up to help Chelsea if she needed any. Chelsea shooed them off. She leaned a little on Marv feeling weaker a little. Marv held her and softly and gently brought her back down on the couch while Megan and Linnie scampered away. Max held her knees as she looked out the window, wondering what the future would bring for her and her friends/family. Who could tell in a few years of months time? What would Chelsea and Marv's wedding be like?


	9. Chapter 9

A few months later it was the day of the wedding. Chelsea and Marv had decided to have it in a new place. Chelsea wanted a winter-themed wedding. The McCallister family of course came over, also with a surprise special guest no one would expect to see. It was Old Man Marley who was often an urban legend in Kevin and Chelsea's neighborhood, but became their friend after the first time they were home alone.

He had brought a young special guest with him, his granddaughter named Madison. Kevin thought she looked really beautiful once he got into the age where girls were interesting and beautiful to him and not filled with cooties or only could be friends if she liked to play in the mud or catch frogs too, he thought she was sincerely beautiful. She must have been coming over to sing for the occasion due to being in a young person's church choir in Christmas pageants. Chelsea was in her changing room, she looked very nervous, but happy.

Max was wearing a light green dress to fit with the mood and even had a holly beret in her hair. "This is just too exciting, my best friend's wedding, I've been dreaming of this day since we were kids!"

Chelsea was in a soft blue almost white dress. Her hair was up and slightly curled. She paced up and down.

"Aw, Chels, it'll be okay..." Max soothed. "If it helps, your dress isn't the only one that's glowing."

Chelsea looked at her. She smiled slightly.

Max smiled back. "I'm very excited for you though... I can't believe before today you were plain old Chelsea McCallister, and now you're on your way to become Mrs. Marv Merchants." She then went, a little obsessively trying to arrange Chelsea back in order, she seemed to be anxious, though in a good way, herself about this wedding thing.

Chelsea didn't mind, almost as nervous herself. "What if I do something stupid and rip my dress, or fall flat on my face?" She asks, desperately.

"Hey," Max called to her in a scolding tone, then something playful about how clumsy she was most of the time. "That's my job."

Chelsea looked at her friend, taking her hands.

Max smiled at her. "Chels, you'll be fine, you were always the strong one when we were growing up. Trust me, you'll be just fine and when your old man walks you down that aisle and you exchange your vows, you'll live happily ever after and Lex and me will visit all the time and hope to look up to you both for advice before we even get married."

Chelsea smiled, laughing a little. "Sure thing, Max... Thank you." she says softly.

"You can do it, I know you can!"

Chelsea smiled. "Almost time." she says, sounding breathless.

Max gave a nod and a confident smile for her friend. "I hope the boys are alright."

Lex was tuning his guitar to preform a song for Chelsea and Marv to congratulate them, Kevin was adjusting in his suit, wishing Kate wouldn't baby him while he wore it to look his best, and more guests were filing in. Mitch Murphy came too and hid a snicker as he saw Kevin looking like a kid-sized bachelor or something. Lex hummed, using his vocals to tune the guitar. Kate was sorting out his tie.

"Mom..." Kevin whined a little.

Kate merely smiled. Marv was a bit nervous himself, but not as much as Chelsea.

Lex looked at Marv. "Relax." he says.

"I don't know if I can do this..." Marv was very nervous.

Kevin looked over. "Wow, I've never seen him like this..."

"We'll all be fine, nerves are normal when you're the bride or groom, but it'll all be fine, I promise." Peter assured.

"Just think, she's made herself look beautiful for you... and wants to be with only you." Lex then continued.

"Yeah..." Marv smiled softly. "I guess I'll be fine."

"You'll be great." Kevin smiled.

Lex grinned. Kevin looked out and saw more people coming in. How many people did his parents invite? He visibly smiled once he caught a glimpse of Old Man Marley's granddaughter, even if he and Chelsea didn't know them very well, especially little Madison. Lex looked too.

Organ music filled the air, making the wedding ready to start. Marv went to where he was supposed to be and walked down the aisle as everyone looked to him, but still remained seated. People only stood for the bride. The priest was looking over, holding his book securely as it was expected. Lex grinned he went to Max.

Chelsea looked nervous again. Max came out, blinked a little in surprise, but smiled when she saw Lex. Marv gulped a little as he walked up. The musician kept playing until he was all the way up, then shifted the song to signal Chelsea to come down.

"Ready, dear?" Peter asked Chelsea as their arms were linked together.

Lex led Max down to where they would stand.

Chelsea laughed nervously. "No... but, I love him... Just don't let me fall, Daddy." she says softly.

"I promise, I won't let you fall." Peter gently told Chelsea before they would start their walk and the people would stand up in respect admiration for them to continue on the ceremony.

The flower girl walked down with them, spreading flowers among the people. Max and Lex stood together, baring smiles for their friends. Lex smiled lovingly at Max. Chelsea took a deep breath, trying not to fall. She then saw Marv and she would've run down, but her dad's grip stopped her.

Marv smiled as he turned to see Chelsea, though not all dressed in white like the song goes. Peter made sure he had Chelsea tight, she was a little klutzy when she was nervous, but he kept going, he was a little anxious himself, giving up his firstborn like this, but in a good way. Lex smiled. Chelsea managed to make it in one piece. Peter stopped with Chelsea and allowed Marv to take her as the music was winding down and everyone took their seats again.

Lex stepped back with Max. Chelsea looked at her beloved. Marv looked back to Chelsea, smiling as his eyes seemed to glimmer when he looked into her eyes. The pastor spoke up, giving the usual holy matrimony speech for the people. Kevin smiled, looking very mature and happy for his big sister, especially since it was Chelsea the one getting married, he might not have cared as much if it were Megan or Linnie getting married, after all, Chelsea looked after him the most and Kate had made it official that he would be the last child and got too busy like Peter to take care of him and the others properly.

Max was very happy, she still couldn't believe this day was really happening, it felt so perfect. Lex held her hand. Chelsea followed the cues when prompted. Max sniffled, gently squeezing Lex's.

"The rings?" the pastor called for the ring bearer.

Though he was Kevin's age, Mitch came with the rings as they rested on a pillow. Marv took one of them, sliding it through Chelsea's finger. Lex smiled. Chelsea put Marv's ring on his finger. Kate was crying almost.

After the rings, the pastor smiled fondly to them. "Do we have vows?"

Marv held up his hand like he were in grade school, waiting for the teacher to call on him, then he took out a paper to read to Chelsea. "'How can I describe a wonderful woman like Chelsea McCallister? Her eyes like ocean waves making me want to frolic through the beach with, her skin a smooth as rich velvet that only rich people could afford and I'll luckily take over whenever she needs me. I will bring her hot soup for whenever she is sick, I would help her out in any struggle in our marriage and hope that we never end in divorce, for we have a stronger bond than most couples do. She is a very beautiful woman and makes me melt like a summer day over a bee's fresh hive honey because I spell love 'C-H-E-L-S-E-A'."

Chelsea softly sniffled, smiling lovingly. "'When I saw Marv, it was when I was helping protect the family house... I thought he was a bad person... However, after our first kiss, I fell hard for him... He brightens my day and makes me feel as if I could walk on air. I would run across burning coals and take countless bullets to protect him. If he gets sick, I will take care of him until he is well again... He is the love of my life and the man I will stay with forever'..." She smiles.

Peter and Kate had very fond smiles. Max sniffled as she continued to watch.

"Now, do you, Chelsea Kimberly McCallister take Marvin Merchants to be your lawfully-wedded husband?" the pastor asked the bride with a smile.

"I do, freely and gladly." she says softly, smiling up at Marv.

Kate hugged Peter. Lex put an arm around Max. Max shook a chill down her spine as she bit her lip.

"And do you, Marvin Merchants, take this woman to be your lawfully-wedded wife?" the pastor asked.

"Of course I do!" Marv answered like it was obvious.

"Then by the power vested in me in the state of Illinois, I now pronounce you man and wife," the pastor granted their long-lasting wishes. "You may now kiss the bride."

Marv and Chelsea beamed instantly like shining stars and shared loving newly wed kisses. Chelsea kissed her husband gently. Lex smiled cheering with the others. Everyone cheered and clapped, praising the happy couple.

Marv and Chelsea had the best kiss they ever had. Kevin was so happy and he could've sworn he saw Buzz of all people crying at the scene, but kept quiet about it. Chelsea pulled back only when they needed air. Lex wolf-whistled playfully. Kate was openly sobbing.

Max giggled a little at what Lex did. Marv and Chelsea looked to the crowd as they were now happily married. Peter smiled and gave a thumb's up to Marv, welcoming him to the family. Chelsea smiled. Kate smiled too, over her handkerchief. Wedding bells were ringing, praising the happy couple. Soon, Chelsea and Marv had to run to the wedding car.

Bubbles and rice flew about as Marv and Chelsea were 'escaping' together. Chelsea went to see Max one last time while Marv went to see Kevin and Lex before they would go off on their little time together.

"Well, guess I really did it." Marv smiled.

"There was no doubt about it, Marv, I think you've liked Chelsea since you first laid your eyes on her." Kevin smirked.

Chelsea hugged her best friend.

Lex chuckled. "Well done, buddy, treat her kind." he says.

"I promise I will, nobody's gonna take her from me neither." Marv vowed.

Lex grinned. "Good man." he says.

Kevin nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, guys." Marv felt so glad to have real friends like them and not Harry anymore.

Lex gave a thumbs up.

"How does it feel?" Kevin wondered.

"Butterflies in the stomach while your heart's goin' fast," Marv explained the best he could. "Kinda like you're about to throw up in front of a bunch of people, but it stops once you get a kiss."

"Cool...?" Kevin wasn't sure how to react to that.

Lex chuckled.

Max hugged Chelsea bit tighter. "I'm gonna miss you so much... Take lots of pictures if you can!"

Chelsea nodded. "I will, Max." she promises.

"Thanks a bunch." Max beamed with utter glee.

Chelsea smiled happily.

"Who's gonna win the bouquet?" Max pointed to the flowers.

"I don't know." Chelsea smiles.

"Come on, Chels, let's get this show on the road!" Marv called, though not nastily, just having fun as he was ready to go away with Chelsea for a little while.

Max smiled at the display as she held herself. "Well, I guess I'll see ya when I see ya."

"You can't start the show without the star!" Chelsea retorts, also playfully.

Max giggled.

"I know, that's why you have to hurry!" Marv replied with a small laugh.

"I arrive exactly when I mean to!" Chelsea giggles, walking over.

Marv laughed, now waiting for Chelsea.

Max smiled as she watched her friends go and she put her arms over Kevin's shoulders. "Ah, they grow up so fast..."

"Yes, and all we can do now is just let them go." Kevin replied like an adult in a child's body, sounding mature, but was still in touch with his inner kid like many 'normal' ones his age.

Chelsea kissed her brother's cheek. Lex joined Kevin and Max. Kevin blushed a little from the kiss, but not in a romantic sense, just a little embarrassed, but he loved the gesture.

"Good-bye!" Max called, waving her hanky to her dear friend.

"Shall we go, mon cherie?" Marv asked.

Chelsea threw the bouquet. Lex grinned.

Max stretched a little, then saw the bouquet flying and land in her hands. "Wow, that's the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me..." She muttered to herself, then did a small victory dance.

"Hey, pal, it looks like it could be your turn next." Kevin playfully patted Lex's shoulder, then went off to see Madison before she would leave with her grandfather.

Lex took her hand, smiling. Max smiled at the flowers, then looked to Lex in equal happiness. Lex smiled. Max clutched the bouquet as she looked up to Lex. Kevin came over to the old man and little girl.

"Go talk with him, dear." Marley told his granddaughter, going to meet with Kate and Peter and talk with them for a moment.

The young girl did.

Kevin and Madison then started to talk with each other.

"I've never seen you in school." Kevin said to her.

"I don't go to public elementary school," Madison explained to him. "Mom and Dad sent me to a private school for safety reasons."

"Well, you can trust me."

Madison smiled a little. "I heard you got my Dad and Grandpa to become friends again. They had this big fight before I was born..."

"Yeah, Chelsea and I saw your grandfather on Christmas eve when we were accidentally left home alone."

"You were left home alone?" Madison sounded a bit scared for him.

"Oh, yeah, but that's nothing compared to when we got lost in New York."

"What was it like?"

"It's actually a pretty interesting story..."

Madison smiled. "Tell me, please?"

Max and Lex shared a little walk together while he held her hand. Kate looked at Marley. Max looked down and looked into his eyes with a smile. Lex hugged her.

"Your kids are good, you two ought to be very proud." Marley smiled at the McCallister parents.

"We are, even if I always thought Chelsea and Kevin would be the ones causing trouble." Peter replied as he held Kate.

Kate smiled. "We did." she chuckles.

Max giggled and felt very delighted.

"I feel very fortunate to know them, especially one as responsible as your eldest daughter." Marley still smiled and felt very pleased to be invited to the wedding.

Lex kissed his girl.

"She is so protective of Kevin." Kate smiles.

Max blushed from the kiss and felt like a princess in a fairy tale.

"That's very good of her, he's a special boy," Marley said fondly. "He even got me the courage to talk with my son again after nearly ten years."

Peter looked very impressed. Lex kissed her until they both needed air. Kate looked surprised. Max pulled away afterward, giggling, though sounding like a little chipmunk.

"Like I said, you have a very wise and special son." Marley smiled to the couple.

"Thank you." Peter was now proud to have a son like Kevin. "Buzz, you could learn a few things from your brother."

"What?" Buzz remarked flatly, not believing he was being compared to his younger brother.

Kate smiled at Marley. She thanked him for the compliments for her youngest.

Marley then decided it was time to go. "Come along now, Madison."

"Guess I'll see you later." Kevin said to the red-haired girl before she left.

Kate waved. Madison nodded, leaving with her grandfather. Kevin waved, then went to go to his parents with a smile. Marley took Madison's hand to take her back home. Kate looked at Kevin, smiling.

Peter put his hand on Kevin's shoulder. "Just think, you're a brother-in-law now."

"That always sounds so grown-up." Kevin remarked.

Kate chuckled. Kevin smiled at his parents and wondered what the future would bring.

Lex chuckled.

Max looked at him with a smirk. "Daddy always said I was his 'favorite little chipmunk'."

Lex smirked. "Which one?" He teases.

"Excuse me?" Max looked to him playfully.

Lex grinned. He then named the Chipmunks and the Chipettes.

Max rolled her eyes with a smile. "Even though I don't wear glasses, I've always felt like Jeanette." She referred to her clumsiness.

Lex smiled.

"I guess you're Alvin then." Max teased with a smirk.

Lex nodded, chuckling.

"Oh, boy." Max rolled her eyes again, but still smiled at her beloved.

Lex carried on with their walk. Max and Lex walked together as they seemed to have a special moment in life like Chelsea and Marv.


	10. Chapter 10

About three weeks later, Chelsea and Marv were on their way back. Kevin's winter break had finished and he was going back to school now. He really missed coming home to see Chelsea, but at least he wasn't as harassed by his siblings, and Max would come over whenever he needed her, having felt like the honorary sister title that Chelsea had mentioned to her before. Kate and Peter also seemed a little less stressed when things were going right for Kevin for a change and they always made sure he was with them whenever they had a family outing. Chelsea rubbed her flat stomach, smiling at her husband.

"It'll be great to see everyone again." Marv smiled down as he was remembering the way to the McCallister house, his memory during the robberies weren't necessarily a bad thing in this case, even if he was blown to the head several times because of Kevin's pranks the first time.

"Yes... And hopefully we'll have our own little one." Chelsea smiled.

"Just keep them out of the dark," Marv gripped the steering wheel. "Kids are ascared of the dark." He couldn't help but add in, he would always say that, despite being afraid of the dark himself.

Chelsea luckily was now able to help him in any darkness. "I know, love." she smiles.

Marv chuckled shyly as he kept driving up to their house. "No matter what time of year, your home is always a lovely sight."

Chelsea smiled lovingly.

Marv kept driving until they were to the house, it felt odd for him to see it not be decorated sometimes. He smiled once they got up there. "Ready?"

Chelsea got out the car. "Yup~" she giggles before she shut the door.

Marv shut his door and walked with Chelsea to the front door. Chelsea ran, trying to beat him.

"Hey!" Marv playfully called and ran behind her.

Chelsea giggled, reaching the steps. Marv still was behind her, but both of them made it to the door at the same time. Chelsea laughed. Marv decided to be the one to ring the doorbell, feeling victory. Chelsea pouted playfully.

Kevin was the one who got the door and he for once looked happy to see 'extended family' visiting. "Guys!"

"Hey, buddy!" Marv greeted, happily.

"Who is this strapping young man?" Chelsea winks. "Have you seen my brother Kevin?" She then continued. She was playing fondly.

Kevin laughed a bit. "Aw, come on..."

"I think your family moved or somethin', Chels." Marv played along.

"Oh well, we'll leave to find them, and leave this handsome fellow alone." Chelsea fake sighs.

"Heeey...." Kevin called. "I AM Kevin! Get back here!"

"Sorry, sir." Marv chuckled still.

Chelsea laughed. That was enough now, she turned and hugged her brother.

Kevin laughed, then felt good in the hug. "I really missed ya, Chels."

"Missed you too, Kev." she says softly. She held him gently.

"I even missed you, Marv." Kevin said to his brother-in-law.

"You're a good kid." Marv smiled down to him.

Chelsea felt a little emotional, crying and smiling. Kevin looked to Chelsea in confusion.

"You okay, babe?" Marv sounded concerned.

"Yeah.... Just so happy to be back." she cries gently, but smiled.

"Come on, let's go." Marv helped Chelsea inside.

Kevin let them in and shut the door behind them, then sat on the couch with Mitch and Madison to grab video game controls and get back to what he was doing before he got the door. "You're both going down now." He said to his two friends who earlier had a debate over who was going down in this game round.

Chelsea wiped her eyes, smiling at her brother and his friends. Marv smiled, he never saw Kevin with kids his own age before, but it was a nice sight. Chelsea leaned against her husband. Marv put his arm around her, he then found himself thinking about having children with Chelsea sometime, they discussed it several times, but there was still no sign of a little Merchants/McCallister baby coming up in their little nest. Chelsea was confused to her own mood swings. Why would she be having them this bad?

Mitch looked over. "Kevin, I think your sister is having the same relationship my parents did a few years ago..."

"No, she's a girl, they get like that a lot, I've seen her and my other sisters and cousins do that sometimes." Kevin remarked.

Peter came downstairs, then looked in surprise to see the guests at the door. "Chelsea, Marv!"

"Daddy~" Chelsea grins and ran over to him.

Peter smiled, hugging Chelsea, then noticed slight tears in her eyes, sending a look to Marv. Marv's eyes widened and he shook his head to make it clear he hadn't made her cry.

Chelsea hugged him back. "It's not Marv's fault, Daddy... I just got emotional." she says softly.

"Oh," Peter calmed down a little and smiled. "You must be anxious to be home. We haven't seen you in a while."

Chelsea smiled.

"Your mother's out getting groceries, honey." Peter told her with a smile. 

Marv looked around the house, he still felt very great to have been able to be apart of it, instead of breaking in for a change. 

Chelsea looked at him. "Does she have her mobile?" She asks.

"Yes, she should." Peter gave a nod.

Chelsea went to call her mother. She needed something brought in.

Kate was still getting plenty of groceries due to her large family, though since it wasn't the holidays, Frank and the others wouldn't be coming, so she wouldn't pay as much money. She heard her phone and answered it, putting it on her shoulder as she wheeled her cart around. "Hello?" She was too busy to see who had been calling.

"Hi Mom." Chelsea says softly into the phone.

"Chelsea, what a surprise!" Kate sounded delighted. "Are you visiting us?"

"Yeah, Mom... uh, I need you to pick me up a little something..." she says quietly.

"What's that, dear?" Kate asked as she kept walking along.

"A pregnancy test." Chelsea says after checking no one could hear her.

Kate blinked. "I'm sorry, dear, could you repeat that?" She asked, just to make sure she heard her daughter right.

"A pregnancy test, Mom." Chelsea repeats.

"Okay, sweetie..." Kate gave a nod, she felt instantly old inside, but she did as her daughter asked and she pushed the cart to the personal home care products aisle. "Anything else while you and Marv are in town?"

"Not really, Mom, but thank you." She says softly, smiling.

"Okay, sweetie, it'll be great to see you again too, sorry I couldn't be there when you came in." Kate said over the phone.

"It's okay, Mom." Chelsea assures.

"I'll see you in a half hour, okay?" Kate said as she still went along. "I'm going to get your gift and check-out."

"Okay, Mom... Love you." she says.

"Love you too, be there soon." Kate promised before hanging up.

Chelsea came back into the living room after hanging up.

Kevin, Madison, and Mitch continued their game and the boys groaned as the girl had beat them. 

"How did you do that?" Mitch glanced at her.

"Hey, girls can play video games too." Kevin seemed to defend Madison in this argument.

Madison smiled at Kevin. Mitch merely rolled his eyes.

"Max and Chelsea played video games all the time, I wish I could've been born then." Kevin smiled in his defense.

"Maybe you can challenge her today." Madison suggests.

"Maybe when she's feeling a bit better, but we'll see." Kevin smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, let's see you all try this one." Mitch gripped his controls, playing the next round of the game with them.

Madison grinned, looking back at the screen. Kevin did the same, playing against Mitch and Madison again.

"Competition looks stiff." Marv playfully remarked.

Madison was concentrated on the game. Mitch and Kevin were determined this time to beat Madison, though mostly Mitch was. Mitch looked very serious. Kevin looked very focused as his thumbs hit the buttons. Could he win this round? Madison decided to let one of them win. Mitch was too full of himself and would likely showboat if he won, so Kevin won this round.

"No!" Mitch couldn't believe it. "I never lose at this game!"

"Never say never." Kevin reminded him with a smirk.

Madison giggled.

"How do I keep losing all the time?" Mitch pouted, grumpily. 

"Hey, don't be such a sore loser." Kevin said to him. 

Marv liked the kids.

Chelsea decided to tease Mitch. She hugged the boy, cooing. "Poor baby~" she teases.

Mitch blinked, a little annoyed with Chelsea's tendencies. "Kev, your sister is starting to freak me out..."

Kevin hid a laugh, he thought it was actually pretty funny.

Chelsea nuzzled the boy's cheek. "Awww~" she coos.

Mitch was still a little disturbed in his seat. What was up with Chelsea right now? Chelsea giggled and went to sit next to Marv. Marv and Chelsea took their own seat as the kids continued to play their little game.

Mitch put down his controls. "I hate this game now."

Chelsea hugged up to Marv. Marv hugged her back. Kevin decided to stop the game. Chelsea hummed.

"Such a sore loser." Madison frowns to Mitch.

Mitch stuck his tongue out at her.

"Come on, guys, let's play something else." Kevin suggested.

Madison looked at Mitch.

Mitch merely shrugged. "Maybe a board game this time."

"I know, we'll play Sorry." Kevin took the game out for them to see. Monopoly was fine with two people, but more than that just asked for trouble.

Madison nodded. Kevin took out the board and let them play at a small table in the room. Mitch scoffed, he felt like Kevin and Madison were ganging up on him, but settled down to play the game. Madison looked at him.

Marv smiled down to her, glad she was happy again. "Feel better, babe?"

"Yes, love." Chelsea smiles.

Marv and Chelsea smiled to each other. 

"Have you ever wanted any?" Marv whispered to Chelsea, gesturing to the three kids.

Kevin, Mitch, and Madison then played their game, getting along a bit better than with the video game. Madison giggled.

Chelsea smiled sweetly. "Yes." she says.

"I'd love one too, especially if it was part of you." Marv smiled, his eyes glimmering.

Chelsea smiled, resting her hand on her stomach. Marv smiled, wondering what it might be like if he were a father.

"Chelsea, are you staying for dinner?" Peter asked as he walked by to check on things since he heard Mitch, Madison, and Kevin having a little spat which quickly ceased.

"Yes, Daddy." Chelsea said.

"How does cheese pizza sound?" Peter asked with a fond smile.

Chelsea smiled. "Sounds good, Daddy." she says happily.

"I knew you'd love it." Peter chuckled.

Chelsea giggled.

"It's awesome, Dad!" Kevin then said, breaking into their dinner plans.

"Right then." Peter nodded, going back in the kitchen, maybe he was clearing for when Kate came home.

"Cheese pizza, I might gobble it all up." Marv joked.

Chelsea gasped and playfully hid behind the sofa, peeking out and pointing at him. "Betrayer!" She hisses.

"You just now figured that out?" Marv laughed, being playful.

Mitch stared at the couple as they were playing together.

"Gonaway before I get Kevin to whoop ya~" she hisses, but obviously still playing.

"Aw, come on now!" Marv called back.

"NEVER!" She shouts playfully.

Marv felt a brief flashback, then looked to her.

"Take it upstairs, please." Kevin spoke up with slightly shifty eyes.

Chelsea gasped, hissing at him too. "Also betrayer!" She hisses.

Kevin still rolled his eyes a bit.

"Come on, we don't need 'em." Marv said to Chelsea, laughing a little with her huge imagination despite her age.

Chelsea 'escaped' to her dad.

Peter was cleaning the kitchen up a bit and had cleared some old things out of the fridge and cupboards for Kate to put new food in.

"Daddy~" Chelsea coos.

Peter looked down to her. "Oh, hello, Chelsea."

Chelsea pouted at him. "Kev and Marv are being mean~" she coos.

"Oh?" Peter looked to her, not sure if she was serious or having mood swings again.

"Marv wants to eat all the pizza, and Kev told us to get a room." she huffs, playfully.

"Oh," Peter now understood a little and had an amused smile. "Well, you'll just have to beat them to have the pizza for yourself, right?" He attempted to add humor in what he said, since he had to work a lot like Kate, they were both almost always serious when raising their kids and were a bit too distracted from them.

Chelsea showed her arms. "With these?" She asks.

"You're a woman, you're stronger, your mother was always the more on top one between us." Peter smirked.

Chelsea covered her ears. "Daddy!" She complains.

"What?" Peter looked to her. "What did I say?"

"Mom and you comment." she whines.

Peter rolled his eyes slightly. "That's not what I meant, Chelsea..."

Chelsea huffed. "Yeah, right~" she huffs.

"Well, you're certainly not my little girl anymore." Peter sighed, but smiled to her.

Chelsea smiled.

"I hope Marvin is taking good care of you like he promised." Peter smiled.

"He is." she promises.

"We're very proud of you." Peter smiled fondly to his eldest for getting married.

Chelsea smiled sweetly.

"I'm just glad Uncle Frank didn't make it to the wedding, he might've ruined it for you guys and just embarrass everybody." Peter said in under his breath, but was audible to her.

Chelsea laughed.

"Dad, can we have soda?" Kevin walked into the kitchen.

"It's too close to supper time, I don't want you spoiling your dinner." Peter said to him. "Have some fruit juice instead."

"Aw, Dad..." Kevin didn't want that since his friends might think he was 'lame' for having them all drink juice instead of pop for refreshments. What kind of hang out time was that?

"Daddy, he'll eat all his dinner~" Chelsea smiles

Peter looked at them. "Okay, just don't tell your mother, besides, you can have whatever's left of this soda."

Kevin smiled, then went to get the liter bottle and poured into three glasses for him and his friends. "You guys want straws!?"

"I'll take one!" Mitch called back.

Chelsea smiled.

"Yes, please!" Madison calls in.

"Okay!" Kevin called, then put the straws in the glasses, then went to put them on the bar table so they could all share their drinks together.

Mitch came with Madison so they could all take a drink break before moving their glasses on the table to continue playing. 

Peter then threw away the empty bottle.

"Hey, my soda!" Buzz yelled out.

"Sorry, Buzz, but your brother and his friends called it first." Peter said to him, giving Buzz a little taste of what Kevin used to go through all the time.

Chelsea chuckled. Madison smiled softly. 

"This is so bogus!" Buzz huffed. 

Peter then left the room as he heard his home office phone ringing. Chelsea looked at Buzz. Buzz just scoffed and walked away. Chelsea smirked at Buzz.


End file.
